Rugby - Stunning Boyd hat-trick leaves Hoppers struggling (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Stunning Boyd hat-trick leaves Hoppers struggling

6:15pm Saturday 24th January 2009 in Sport By Gazette Sports

WINGER Lewis Boyd was man of the match for Kendal in a 31-12 humbling of Preston Grasshoppers in National League 3 North at Mint Bridge on Saturday.

Speed merchant Boyd notched up a hat-trick of tries as Kendal gained a bonus-laden five-point victory on their welcome return to home action after about a two months' enforced break.

A first-minute try from full back Chris Park after Hoppers failed to field the kick-off ball got the Black and Ambers off to a flying start and Dan Stephens added the conversion.

Kendal's tackling left a lot to be desired early on and Hoppers forced their way to the tryline, but Kendal survived in a helter-skelter sequence as Gary Holmes seized on a pass off the ground to give Kendal timely turnover ball.

Kendal's patient approach was repaid after 24 minutes when Rob Aloe forced another turnover in midfield and Mark Wilson went on a looping blindside run before the ball was worked for Boyd to score his first try of the afternoon, Stephens again converting for a 14-0 lead.

On the stroke of half time Kendal added a third try when the forwards battered a path to the tryline before the ball was sent wide for Boyd to finish off in the corner.

Turning round 19-0 ahead,Kendal took charge early in a second half that saw Hoppers guilty of far too many handling errors in contrast to the home side's precision passing exhibition.

Boyd scooted over two minutes into the second half when scrum-half James Gough disrupted his opposite number's pass from the back of a scrum and skipper Ian Voortman collected to feed Aloe, who set free Boyd. When Stephens added the extras, Kendal were 26-0 ahead.

Hopers finally open their account in the 65th minute when driving play eventually opened the way for flanker Luke Cunningham to surge over, with full back Marcus Jackson converting.

Nine minutes later, however, another turnover in midfield saw Boyd and Aloe exchange passes for the New Zealander to jink his way past two men and over for his debut first-team try.

After Stephens' kick bounced back off the upright, Kendal were 31-7 to the good.

A minute form the end of normal time Preston scrum-half Darren Wilson picked up and went over from the back of a scrum for an unconverted score that left the visitors still well beaten in front of a big derby crowd.