TO GO to Rossendale and win at any time is difficult, but to have to go and win or draw in the final game to ensure safety in North Lancs/Cumbria was always a big ask.

The final score was Rossendale 12 - Kirkby Lonsdale 10.

The visitors knew this was probably their biggest game for a long time in Kirkby colours, and this narrow defeat after a last-gasp conversion attempt was charged down now means their fate rests on Penrith winning a play-off with Widnes.

In a scoreless first half, Kirkby will rue a number of missed chances after they opened brightly and got on top. The home team gradually slowed the ball well and turned the game into a stop-start affair.

Williams missed with a long-range penalty attempt early on for Kirkby and Mallaband also failed to make Penrith pay with two easier attempts.

Good work by Storey and Williams then created a Kirkby overlap on the left, but instead of staying wide the winger cut back inside into traffic and Rossendale cleared the danger.

Kirkby's forwards dominated the set-pieces with Ian Turner and Neil Robinson to the fore. Steve Williams was a steadying influence in the centre, while Chris Potts played probably his best game of the season.

Good positional kicking by Storey and Horsfall kept Rossendale pinned back, but the visitors just couldn't find that vital score.

Rossendale made a lively start to the second half, with the forwards taking the game to Kirkby, but good defence, particularly by Holmes, Dowker and Turner in the back row, kept them out.

Rossendale still managed to opened the scoring, however, with a penalty awarded for offside.

Back came Kirkby with Thompson running well from full back and Storey going on good half-breaks from the base.

Eventually, the ball was recycled for Chris Potts to score a well-taken try after good work by his brother Matthew and Richard Bainbridge.

The conversion failed but Kirkby were ahead 5-3.

Rossendale went back ahead, however, when the referee reversed a penalty on the Kirkby line and, from the melee that followed, Steve Williams was sinbinned for illegal use of the boot. Keeping the pressure on, Rossendale then extended their lead with two penalties to go 12-5 ahead.

With time running out, Kirkby reasserted themselves as Williams came back on and it was Rossendale's turn to have a player yellow-carded for retaliation to a punch.

Instead of going for goal from the penalty, Kirkby chose the scrum. They knocked on as they worked their way to the tryline but took a strike against the head to recover the ball, allowing Storey to make a good break and feed Dowker, and Kirkby were once again threatening the tryline.

When Rossendale infringed again Kirkby chose the scrum. Eventually the ball was recycled for Williams to score near the posts right on full time.

A draw would have been enough for Kirkby if the conversion had gone over. Rossendale had other ideas and charged the kick down, leaving Kirkby's destiny out of their own hands.

If Kirkby had put over just one of five attempts at goal they would have won: Rossendale kicked four out of and that proved to be the difference.

Since Christmas Kirkby have worked hard and special mention must go to the coach Drew Anderson who has done well with a young team.

n The Wanderers took 25 players to Rossendale but still lost 10-0.

Easter Saturday sees Kirkby celebrate 125 years with a vets game against Cumbria Rams (3pm).

Cup cracker

KENDAL Colts hosted First Division West Park Colts in the semi-final of the Under-19s Lancashire Cup.

Kendal's forwards got the better out of ruck and maul, but West Park's backs, including four members of the St Helens Rugby League Academy, produced quick handling and off-loading.

Kendal took the lead after 15 minutes when fly-half Chris Park gathered his own kick ahead to touchdown for an unconverted try.

West Park came back, but the Kendal defence held until the 25th minute when Park went over for a converted try for a 7-5 lead and the visitors added a second score on the half-hour for a 14-5 half-time lead.

The second half began at a furious pace with the crowd urging on Kendal who rucked and tackled anything in sight.

The home side were hard done after 10 minutes when West Park were awarded a try although the winger was clearly in touch. It was converted for a 21-5 lead. Kendal refused to give up and from a scrum and a ruck Simon Greenhow crashed over to make it 21-10.

The game continued to flow from end-to-end, but West Park twice broke through the Kendal line for a flattering final victory margin of 31-10.

April 17, 2003 16:30