KENDAL 31 – MIDDLESBROUGH 0

Kendal returned to Mint Bridge for the first time in a month to face Middlesbrough after two good away wins against LSH and Darlington, and in ideal conditions for open running rugby did exactly that from the first whistle. Unfortunately at times in the opening twenty minutes there was not enough control or structure in Kendal’s play to turn possession and territory into points.
It was Kendal’s now trademark catch and drive from a penalty lineout in the opposition twenty-two that produced their opening score in the ninth minute. Prop forward Billy Coxon was the beneficiary.

Kendal had absolute domination upfront with the excellent front row of Coxon, Green and Harryman putting the Middlesbrough scrum in all sorts of trouble throughout the game and with second row Gareth Gore ruling the roost at the lineout Kendal had plenty of quality possession to play with but never quite managed to fully turn it into points and their second try did not come until the thirty-fourth minute when Gore himself was driven over the try line from another catch and drive off a penalty lineout. Dan Stephens brilliantly converted both scores from wide out.

Middlesbrough’s only scoring opportunities came from two penalty attempts at goal by fullback Simon Moore midway through the first half.

Leading 14 – 0 at halftime Kendal were quick to add a third try three minutes into the second half. Middlesbrough’s only answer to defend Kendal’s forward drives from the lineout was to deliberately pull it down. The referee did not hesitate in awarding the penalty try with Stephens adding the easy conversion.

Superb passing between fullback Hoani Moore, winger Luke Ladell and Chris Park resulted in Park running in Kendal’s fourth try in the fifty fifth minute. John Ladell playing in the centre for this game completed Kendal’s scoring with an unconverted try ten minutes later for a final score of 31 – 0.