PENRITH 17 – KENDAL 27

Kendal produced an excellent winning performance away to Penrith in their North One derby game.
A big tackle by centre Ian Voortman on his opposite number Martin Armstrong in the fourth minute resulted in a penalty to Kendal when Penrith were penalised for not rolling away from the ball, unfortunately Chris Park’s penalty attempt at goal into the difficult wind was wide of the posts.
Two minutes later however Kendal did score when quick turnover ball was won in midfield with centre Ian Voortman, prop Billy Coxon, right wing John Ladell and second row Gareth Gore all involved before the ball was finally moved out wide to scrumhalf James Gough speeding up on the outside who scored an unconverted try in the corner.
Five minutes later Ian Voortman burst through the home defence on a superb angled run to touch the ball down beneath the posts for a try converted by Chris Park to give the visitors a 12 – 0 lead.
Kendal could not add to their lead before halftime and had to do some stern defending just before the break when second row Gareth Gore was yellow carded. Penrith punted the ball down field to touch and Kendal showed great defensive awareness to keep the home side out.
Kendal applied pressure right from the restart kick to earn of scrum close to the Penrith twenty-two from where Dan Stephens slotted over a drop-goal.
A high tackle by Ian Voortman in the fifty-first minute earned him a yellow card and gave Penrith their first points of the game when Stephen Wood successfully kick the penalty.
Moments later Kendal were down to thirteen men when right wing John Ladell was also shown a yellow card for deliberate interference with the ball at a ruck close to the
Kendal try line. Penrith chose to take a quick tap penalty and flanker Ioan Lewis crashed over for the try which was converted by Stephen Wood to pull Penrith to within five points of Kendal.
Kendal’s defence held firm until they were back up to full strength and in the final ten minutes the extra strength and power of the Kendal pack told when they scored from two driving mauls.
The first was scored from a good twenty-five metres away the forwards just simply kept the drive on which Penrith were powerless to stop and was scored by prop Richard Harryman with standoff Hoani Moore making the conversion, on his debut for Kendal, and then a few minutes later backrow Mark Wilson scored his first try in a first team jersey from a similar driving maul which went unconverted.
Penrith however scored a late consolation try when winger Joe Nattrass was released up the touchline and stepped inside the final Kendal defender to score a try converted by Stephen Wood.