Rugby - Kendal Colts capture County Cup (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Kendal Colts capture County Cup

12:15pm Thursday 5th May 2011 in Sport

KENDAL Senior Colts made it a memorable end to their season by bringing the Cumbria Colts Cup back to Mint Bridge with a 17-15 win over Carlisle in the final at Penrith.

Kendal last held the cup back in 1997 and most of this present team will now move to senior rugby or university, so this triumph was a fitting way to mark the end of their colts careers.

A Mark Carruthers penalty put Kendal ahead, but cup final nerves seemed to strike they contrived to concede three first-half tries to trail 15-3 at half time.

Regrouping for the second half, Kendal upped their game and concentration and flanker Blake Robinson made a 30-metre run-in for their first try. Carruthers’ conversion cut the gap to 15-10.

Swiftly from the restart, Leo Mercer ran from deep inside his own half and beat the Carlisle threequarters to score a second try, and Carruthers improved it to edge them ahead at 17-15.

It was a lead they tenaciously defended throughout the last quarter up to the final whistle for a hard-fought victory.