Rugby - Penalties cost Kendal in single-point defeat (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Penalties cost Kendal in single-point defeat

4:29pm Saturday 14th November 2009 in

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A SINGLE point separated Kendal from Caldy in a 15-14 defeat fought out in the mud at Mint Bridge on Saturday.

In the end the second-placed Wirral outfit benefited from the high penalty-count against their hosts, all of their points coming off the boot.

Skipper Ian Voortman was urging patience from his Kendal troops at the breakdown after they had made a vibrant start in teeming rain from the kick-off.

A Mike Scott drop goal, put over with great poise in the awful conditions, put them ahead and they were 8-0 up in as many minutes.

It was Scott's kicking that created the chance, with a tantalising angled effort to the corner that a diving Lewis Boyd made his own with a Caldy covering defender right with him.

Although unconverted from wide out, Kendal had well-earned momentum and their rolling maul in particular caused the visitors plenty of trouble and was a useful tactic in tying up the pack.

Unfortunately, over-eagerness at the ruck, in which Caldy's mobile forwards had the clear edge, led to a series of penalties.

But 20 minutes had elapsed, however, before Caldy got on the scoresheet thanks to a Richard Vasey kick from in front of the posts.

Kendal cancelled that out through a Mark Ireland penalty four minutes later with an unerring 32-metre effort through the middle, but both sides missed further pots at goal going up to half time.

Caldy surprisingly were off target with a straightforward chance after 34 minutes, and kicked the next one to the corner only for Kendal to defend superbly on their own tryline to win back the ball.

But the Black and Ambers failed to stay on the right side of the referee just before the half-time whistle as Vasey slotted a second kick to trim Kendal's interval lead to 11-6.

Despite Caldy having a lock-forward sinbinned early after the break, Kendal could not capitalise and two more successful penalties in the opening quarter finally put Caldy ahead at 12-11.

Kendal were forutnate to survive a massive five-man overlap on the right as Rob Aloe got back to deal with the right winger's kick-through under pressure.

And after Boyd charged down an attempted clearance, the spell of harrying pressure led to Caldy infringing close to their 22 and the referee marched them back a further 10 metres for dissent.

Ireland toppled on his back taking the kick but it was bang on target and at only 14-12 ahead Kendal were again in with a winning chance.

It was a nip and tuck finish as handling errors crept on both sides in in the mud, but another frustrating penalty for a hand in the ruck again allowed Caldy to restore their one-point lead.

Right on full time Kendal almost threatened to snatch a try with a counter-attack up the left touchline, but Scott's hurried pass was out of Boyd's reach and went into touch when the winger have gone all the way.