KENDAL were hit by a hard defeat following a clash with Wirral. 

The team paid the price for poor discipline as well as mistakes after they lost 37-17 to Wirral on a frustrating afternoon for the Black and Ambers.

Kendal who were keen to build on their dominant victory against Burnage conceded the first try after just two minutes when Joe Mitchell scored before converting his own try as Kendal were 7-0 up.

Kendal came more into the game, and Wirral were forced to concede a number of penalties, but several opportunities were lost when lineout throws were stolen by Wirral.

Barney Coxon was having another promising game, twice forcing penalties as tackled Wirral players hung on to the ball, as he tried to steal it.

Wirral’s second try came after twenty minutes. Their forwards made ground through a number of short bursts, then the ball was kicked to the corner for left wing Tom Akehurst to chase and score.

However, Kendal were back in game almost immediately. Ignacio Cisint made a powerful break down the left, he passed to Lewis Kincart, who seemed to have run into trouble, but then got the ball away to Danny Barker who powered over.

As Kendal came more into the game, Wirral were being forced to give away a string of penalties to slow the ball down, and appeared fortunate the referee did not take further action, when in one move he signal three separate penalties to Kendal.

With time running out in the first half the scores were tied. Lewis Kincart took a penalty quickly, and Steven Nelson was on hand to power over for his sixth try of the season, with Glen Weightman adding the conversion to make it even on 17v17.

All the good work was almost immediately undone. From a scrum in their own twenty two, not for the first time, a Kendal box kick made little distance, and went to Wirral hands.

Wing Tom Akehurst, took advantage of the Kendal defence being out of place to go over for his second try.

After seven minutes Kendal were temporarily reduce to fourteen men when Joe Lashley was yellow carded, but after Wirral’s kick at goal from the resulting penalty was unsuccessful, it was Kendal who came back the stronger.

Danny Barker made a powerful break from halfway, evading several attempted tackles, Alistair Thompson took the move on, and Dini Noyo was on hand to finish it with his fifth try of the season, and the scores were back level with half an hour to play.

After twenty minutes Kendal appeared to have won a scrum, by preventing a tackled Wirral player, getting the ball to ground, only for someone to speak out, and it became a Wirral penalty, that outside half Dan Harvey put over to give his team the lead.

The lead was extended after twenty five minutes when following a penalty, Wirral fullback Mark Williams went over for a try.

With five minutes to play both teams were reduced to fourteen men when both fullbacks were yellow carded after an altercation, and a minute later Kendal were down to thirteen when Joe Anderson, was yellow carded for speaking out to the referee and from the penalty the Wirral forwards drove over for a try for lock Haydon Long to score as Kendal crashed to defeat.

Kendal have this weekend off before traveling to Kirkby Lonsdale a week on Saturday for the huge derby tussle at the wrong end of the table.