KENDAL RUFC returned to winning ways in National League Three with a hard-fought victory over Ilkley in a rearranged fixture at Mint Bridge.

Second half tries from Zane Butler, James Thompson and James Gough were enough to secure the points against their Yorkshire opposition following a tight and even opening 40 minutes.

After the disappointment of last weekend, Thompson and John Dervey came into the side with Ben Leacock starting on the bench, while Damian Armstrong replaced Mark Carruthers on the right wing.

A harder than expected frost had meant the re-arranged game was also in some doubt, but the morning sunshine meant that the pitch was in good condition for kick off.

Kendal started well, but Ilkley were quickly up in defence to cut off ball to the Kendal back line, while their pack was proving a match for their opposite numbers.

Kendal had the better of play, but whenever they had the ball powerful running meant Ilkley were breaking tackles, and several times the Kendal defence had to be sharp to end Ilkley attacks.

While playing better than last week, Kendal were making life difficult for themselves, kicking ball away, losing the ball in the tackle, and several times players tried to break the line themselves rather than using better options outside them.

Ilkley seemed content to keep ball in hand, and their wings were seeing more of the ball than Dini Noyo and Damian Armstrong, despite their team having less of the possession.

It looked as if the half was going to be scoreless when with the last action of the half, Ilkley centre Gemmell was successful with a drop kick, to give his team a slender 3-0 half time lead, slightly against the run of play.

Kendal continued to have the better of play and finally made the breakthrough after ten minutes of the second half. James Gough broke the defence from a scrum, and when stopped the forwards pounded the Ilkley line. When they were held out, the ball was moved wide with a clever pass from Danny Barker putting Butler in for a try to give Kendal the lead.

Ten minutes later, the lead was extended. Kendal were awarded a penalty in midfield after a rare Dini Noyo run had been stopped by a high tackle. Glenn Weightman put a long penalty kick deep into the Ikley twenty two. Liam Hayton gathered the throw and the forwards drove to line, with Thompson breaking away for the score and Chris Park putting the conversion over to extend the gap to 12-3.

Kendal then failed to deal with the well placed kick-off and Ilkley re-gathered the ball and set up an attack, with Gemmell finishing the move with a try on the right, but was unable to convert his own try.

With ten minutes to play Robbie Collinson came on for Matty Houghton. Shortly afterwards Kendal scored their third try. Zane Butler burst through the centre, and while he was stopped, Noyo took the move on, getting the ball away to Gough who went over for the try. Chris Park again converted, to return the game to two scores at 19-8.

Kendal pressed for a further try to gain a bonus point, and to put the game out of reach, but good Ilkley defence and a few kicks through that did not come off kept them out.

In injury time Ilkley went looking for a score to give them a losing bonus point, but instead Kendal broke from their own twenty two and good handing made the illusive extra try looked possible, but an error meant time ran out.