Rugby - Ten-try Kendal pile on Trophy agony (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Ten-try Kendal pile on Trophy agony

11:44am Saturday 25th October 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

Kendal 62.

Halifax 7.

A BREATH-taking display sent Kendal into the second round of the EDF Energy Trophy on Saturday, setting up a trip to Morpeth of North East 2 on November 22.

With due respect to battered Halifax, their part in this contest was over fairly soon. The interest centred upon just how far Kendal could impose their attacking strategy, flawless handling and try-scoring flair upon their beleaguered visitors.

Everything clicked into place with the home forwards driving forwards from the first whistle to set up a maul close to the tryline.

When the ball came out, fly-half Dan Stephens dummied a pass and found a massive gap in the defence to exploit and crash over for the first of his side's ten tries and he added the conversion.

A second try followed just three minutes later. Flanker Garry Holmes swooped on a wayward Halifax lineout throw and Stephens was twice involved, looping round to link with Liam Hayton, who barged through a defence that already looked in some disarray.

This time the conversion failed but a 12-0 lead had set the tone.

Fine tactical kicking from Stephens, in addition to six conversions during the afternoon, kept Halifax pegged back.

Once again Gareth Gore looked a class apart in the lineout securing ball for his pack time and again.

Kendal had kicked their way out of a spot of trouble after 15 minutes and back on the attack for Duncan Green to force his way over, Stephens adding the extras to extend the gap to 17-0.

After the Halifax hooker was sinbinned, Kendal kicked to the corner and another expert maul from the lineout ended with Holmes touching down, Stephens converting.

Kendal's were running their opponents' bulkier pack ragged, by using the full width of the pitch and Halifax compounded their problemswith a series of unforced errors - a knock-forward spoiling what looked a probable try after their pack hammered a path to within a few metres of the tryline.

Kendal's response came in sensational style as quick hands from stand-off James Gough released right winger Zane Butler up the blindside and he chipped over the top before gathering and going over for converted try.

Kendal's booming confidence forced Halifax to throw on two replacements to try to stem the points flow, but another try came after 35 minutes and it was perhaps the best of the bunch.

Collecting a high kick, Chris Park stepped inside his man to make the half-break and found Ian Voortman, who drew the cover before releasing centre Matt Gracie on a curving run over. Stephens' successful kick left Halifax staring at a 40-0 half-time deficit.

Their pride stung, Halifax sharpened up their act at the start of the second half. Kendal made one or two wrong options to get the ball out of their own 22 and Halifax scrum-half Dominic Castle's sniping run off a ruck brought a try, which Ian Gordon converted.

However, errors continued to dog the visitors, even when Kendal conceded a series of penalties at the breakdown and had Stephens sinbinned.

Winger Lewis Boyd stamped himself out as one of the most exciting runners seen in a Kendal shirt in recent memory judged on his 60th-minute try.

Breaking free into midfield, the Kendal forwards set up an exhilarating passage of play before Matt Gracie linking with Butler at pace before Boyd was given the office.

Although short of room on the touchline and a would-be tackler closing, blistering acceleration took him away and left two others opponents in the vicinity for dead as he scorched over from 45 metres out.

On another awesome dash shortly afterwards, Boyd took off on a disagonal run, kicked a perfectly-weighed ball over the defence and caught it before feeding replacement Dan Murray to finish in the corner.

At 50-7, Kendal could do anything they pleased, it seemed, and Gore's rampaging run preceded a lovely, instinctive exchange of passes between Butler and Boyd on the touchline. The Kendal wave continued and prop Richard Harryman was picked out to take the final pass and flop over the line.

Boyd was still not finished and five minutes from time, he escaped again for a 70-metre dash up the flank.

This time the Halifax full back held him up but the ball was recycled for Harryman again to surge over for a quick brace of tries. Halifax were moderate but if we see a more imposing display at Kendal this season, you will want to be there.