SENIOR coach Nick Milner accepts Kendal’s defeat to Broughton Park was a source of frustration in more ways than one after results elsewhere were taken into consideration.

The Black and Ambers were edged out in a tight encounter at Mint Bridge while third-placed Widnes surprisingly lost 55-14 at relegation-threatened Carlisle.

Only one point now separates Kendal and Widnes in the league table, with the pair set to go head-to-head at Heath Road when the season resumes a week on Saturday.

And while it can also be argued the Cheshire side failed to take advantage of Kendal’s slip, Milner concedes it was a missed chance to climb the league standings.

“When you reflect on it we could have leapfrogged Widnes into third but it’s just one of those opportunities we’ve failed to fulfil,” he said.

“But we still gained ground on them and we’re only a point behind – it’s getting very tight ahead of the last four games.

“It’s all to play for. Sometimes you get to this stage of the season and there is nothing to play for if you’re not in the fight for promotion or relegation.

“It’s mathematically out of the question now to get promotion with Birkenhead Park getting their bonus point win so it’s now about getting as many points as we can

“There is everything still to play for in the race for third.”

Only four fixtures of the season remain, with Kendal facing a trip to Wilmslow as well as Widnes, with home games against Wigton and Wirral also on the horizon.

Their defeat to Broughton Park was only their second in eight matches, with the Manchester outfit storming back in the second-half after the home side led 23-12 at the break.

“It was a very close game and I thought we actually controlled it quite well for long periods,” added Milner.

“Broughton Park had some fast, strong backs which they utilised well, striking from deep and scoring two or three tries that way.

“But I thought our issue was at the breakdown, we turned over the ball too much – we had scoring opportunities and the ball was turned over.

“And that was the only disappointing factor in our play during the whole game really.”