Spirited Kendal can't come back against the Lothian show for Rossendale (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Spirited Kendal can't come back against the Lothian show for Rossendale

5:55pm Saturday 6th October 2012 in Sport By Scott Kirk, Reporter

Kendal 27

Rossendale 34

A POOR defence put paid to Kendal’s hopes of victory against Rossendale despite several spirited comebacks by the Black and Ambers at Mint Bridge.

The away side’s Sam Lothian scored four tries as he tore into Kendal’s back line repeatedly but Kendal continually refused to be dead and buried as they came back at Rossendale again and again.

The game started with Rossendale’s Danny Collins looking strong on the ball, handing off a few Kendal players on two powerful runs within the first 10 minutes.

And it was the away side who got on the scoresheet when Kendal were penalised for being offside when Rossendale tried to shift the ball among the backs, Steve Nutt kicking over a fairly central penalty to give them a 3-0 lead.

Jamie Postlethwaite put in a tremendous last-ditch tackle on Matt Smith as the Rossendale player looked favourite to score in the corner with 13 minutes on the clock and it was the away side who looked brighter in the first half.

Kendal defended superbly to keep the score at 3-0 as Rossendale had two or three chances between the 20th and 30th minutes to extend their lead with a prolonged period of pressure close to the Kendal try-line.

But the Black and Ambers caved in on 34 minutes when Nutt found a gap in the Kendal defence and he went over for a simple try, getting up and kicking the conversion to give Rossendale a 10-0 lead.

Two minutes later and the lightning-quick Lothian got the first of his tries. Rossendale looked lively when passing the ball among the backs and skipper Jamie Albinson and Nutt combined well before the ball reached Lothian on the right touchline. The winger cut inside and was too quick for Kendal to stop him, diving in front of the posts to give Nutt an easy conversion to kick and putting Rossendale 17-0 up.

With the away side threatening to run away with the game, Chris Park put three points on the board with the last kick of the half after Rossendale were penalised for holding down to give the scoreline a bit more credibility going into the break.

But the Black and Ambers were well and truly back in it with a fantastic re-start after half time, earning a penalty very close to the Rossendale tryline in the left corner. From the lineout the forwards drove forward and Reece Tomlinson was the man who went over to bring the score back to 17-10 after Park added the extras.

But with minutes Rossendale had a try of their own. Kendal simply could not live with Lothian, who received his pass from Nutt as the home side tried to intercept the pass. A last ditch effort from a Kendal player was not enough to stop the winger touching down in the corner to give Rossendale a 22-10 lead.

And it got even better for the away side in the 49th minute when Lothian completed his hat-trick. Jamie Albinson rode a tackle and he had more support than he could have possibly wished for after breaking clear, giving the ball to Lothian to make it 27-10.

But in what was proving to be an entertaining and high-scoring second half, Kendal hit back immediately. Scrum half Simon Davidson took a quick tap and totally caught Rossendale off guard, getting through a couple of tackle attempts to touch down near the posts, and Park kicked the conversion to bring the Black and Ambers to within 10 points of Rossendale at 27-17.

On the hour mark that advantage was down to just three points. Kendal put Rossendale under an enormous amount of pressure and with their forwards once again driving continually at the away side, and Park was the man to go over before making the conversion.

With 12 minutes left Kendal brought the ball out of defence superbly and when a Rossendale player made a mistake when Kendal tried to kick wide right, the home side had a lineout.

But in the resulting drive from the lineout Kendal lost the ball and Anthony Bingham went on a solo run which tore Kendal apart.

The support play was excellent again from Rossendale and Bingham popped the ball to Lothian who got his fourth try. Nutt kicked the conversion to make it 34-24.

The home side came back at Rossendale but it was to no avail and Park kicked a penalty late on to give Kendal a bonus point from the game.

Kendal

Glenn Chesher, Duncan Green, Richard Harryman, Liam Hayton (c), Reece Tomlinson, Dan Greenwood, Peter Redhead, Garry Holmes, Simon Davidson, Andrew Boardley, Jamie Postlethwaite, Chris Park, Alistair Thompson, Kale Hutchins, Nathan Woof.

Replacements: Dom Musetti, James Thompson, Liam Nicholson

Rossendale

Greenhalgh, Keys, Short, Pole, Smith, Walker, Greenwood, Collins, J Albinson (c), Bramhal, Harrison, T Albinson, Bedlow, Lothian, Nutt.

Replacements: D Horrocks, R Horrocks, Bingham.