THE importance of his side securing victory in their final game of the season is not something Kendal RUFC stalwart Garry Holmes is prepared to brush under the carpet.

The Black and Ambers complete their league programme with a home game against current league leaders Wirral, with the destination of the title and automatic promotion on a knife edge.

Wirral are top, one point ahead of Birkenhead Park who conclude their campaign at Warrington, while there is also the small matter of Kendal avenging their heavy opening day defeat.

“It is massively important leading into next season that we finish on a high and with a win, that’s the main objective now,” said Holmes.

“It would be good to take a bit of momentum into the off-season and then into next season. Hopefully that will help us get on a roll and enable us to start next year well.

“We want to push on when the new campaign comes around, compete for the title and try and get promoted.

“Inside the camp we also want to gain a bit of revenge from that heavy 73-15 loss at Wirral at the start of the season. It would be huge to get that.

“And aside from that it’s never nice for a team to win the title or gain promotion on your turf. If we can stop them getting promoted that would be a feather in our cap so to speak.”

Wirral will be no pushovers for the Mint Bridge outfit having only suffered defeat twice this season, with Kendal heading into the game on the back of a 26-20 reverse at Wilmslow.

Nevertheless, since Christmas Kendal have embarked on a run of seven wins in 11 matches, with a winning mentality something Holmes considers vitally important.

“Saturday will be a fast game as Wirral like playing through their backs in an expansive fashion,” he added. “We have to make sure we make our tackles and play to our strengths.

“We had a lot of big names missing against Wilmslow and the young lads who came in did really well – there were a lot of big performances.

“That result was disappointing but turning things around and getting the winning habit back this season has been brilliant. It’s re-energised a lot of players.”