A MAJOR scalp was tucked under Kendal's belt in the match of the season at Mint Bridge, a 21-20 defeat of promotion-seekers Leicester Lions which went to the last kick.

It completed a hat-trick of wins after defeats of Rugby and Manchester, but this victory was in a different class against the fourth-placed opponents who had lost only four times previously this term.

A storming start by the home forwards, who could not be faulted on their endeavour or excellence throughout, earned three kickable penalties.

Fly-half Mark Ireland obliged for a 9-0 lead after 26 minutes, Lions having lock Tom Cheney sinbinned as Kendal by turns contained the Lions and applied pressure themselves.

Lions kicker John Boden hit an upright and saw the ball bounce back from a 45th-minute penalty, but the the Midlanders still clawed back seven points before the break.

Kendal were down to 14 men themselves by this stage after flanker Peter Stevens was yellow-carded following a warning from the referee to the hosts for persistent offending at the ruck.

Lions ended up camped on the Kendal line and their forwards eventually drove over to get the touch down, with Boden tacking on the extras to cut the gap to 9-7 at the break.

A penalty against Kendal for backchat three minutes into the second half edged Lions ahead for the first time at 10-9 as Boden slotted the easy kick in front of the posts.

Kendal defended superbly but another successful penalty from Boden for not rolling away stretched the gap to four points.

Kendal were loathe to kick long into the arms of danger-man Gareth Collins at full back, and they restricted him to few counter-attacking opportunities, although he did look dangerous in space.

Instead after Lions fell short with a penalty, the Black and Ambers produced their first try.

Turnover ball at a ruck was moved right to John Ladell who hoofed it upfield and Stevens won the ball and exchanged passes with Chris Park before he steamed over for a five-pointer that restored the lead at 14-13.

But a brilliantly executed driving maul from 35 metres in the 66th-minute from a penalty lineout was arguably the score of the match and capped a great day for the pack.

Dan White made the final touch down under the heap of players.

After Ireland slotted another conversion, Kendal tried to harness the momentum at 21-13 but a stung Lions' pride yielded a try from the forwards to cut the gap to 21-20 with four minutes plus stoppages to play.

In a grandstand finish the visitors kept the tension taut with a couple of long-distance penalty attempts, but Boden was short with the first attempt and then slipped the second fractionally wide.

Kendal heaved the ball into touch and the final whistle followed, with the home crowd's booming applause acknowledging this was something special to build upon for the rest of the campaign.