A SOLID Kendal RUFC defence provided the foundations for a hard-fought 17-3 victory away at Morley on Saturday.

Tries for Joe Robinson and Chris Downham and some pin-point kicking from Chris Park saw Kendal come out on top at a boggy Scatcherd Lane in west Yorkshire.

With James Gough unavailable, Dini Noyo moved to scrum half with Mark Carruthers coming in on the right wing. Duncan Green was also not available due to injury against Cleckheaton so Robbie Collinson came in, with Ross McKay returning to the back row. Matty Houghton and Zane Butler returned from injury and took their places on the bench.

Morley started the better and took the lead after seven minutes after Kendal had been penalised for an offence at the breakdown. Outside half and captain Mark Chester put over the kick for a 3-0 lead.

Kendal came straight back into the game from the kick off as Collinson made a good break down the left, and when he was stopped Downham made more ground. A Morley player deliberately came around to steal the ball to disrupted Kendal momentum, and the referee both penalised and gave a yellow card to prop Dan Richardson.

Kendal pressurised their hosts but to no avail until they finally took the lead after 15 minutes. Kris Bratton ran the ball back after a Morley kick out of defence. The forwards then took the move on through several short bursts and when Ben Leacock gathered the ball, he set up a maul for the Kendal pack to drive over the line, with  Robinson coming up with the try. Park added the conversion on a sticky pitch to put Kendal 7-3 ahead.

Kendal were being hampered by some wayward passes which often saw the ball going to ground, plus kicks that gave the ball to Morley fullback Dante van der Merwe, who had played well in the game at Mint Bridge, and was again looking dangerous if given any space.

As the half drew to an end Kendal increased their lead. The Kendal pack disrupted Morley on their own put-in to a scrum. Noyo stole the ball from the back of Morley pack, but rather than play advantage, the referee came back to penalise the Morley front row for standing up to prevent the Kendal drive. Park put the penalty over and Kendal were 10-3 up at the break.

Kendal extended their lead after a quarter of an hour of the second half. Morley were penalised at a scrum and Noyo ran the penalty quickly with the forwards then driving over the line. Downham was credited with the try and Park again converted to make it 17-3.

Morley almost struck back immediately. Glenn Chesher took the kick off and made good ground, but when he was stopped, another Kendal player was penalised. This put Morley on the attack, but the Kendal defence stood firm through wave after wave of Morley attacks, and finally a penalty for failing to release the ball in the tackle allowed a relieving kick.

Morley had another long spell of attack in the Kendal twenty two, but the Kendal defence were equal to everything that they could throw at them.

Downham made a break out of defence, but his kick ahead beat Noyo in pursuit to the touchline.

With ten minutes to play Glenn Weightman was yellow carded for a clumsy high tackle.

Matty Houghton and Blake Robinson came on for Ross McKay and Chris Downham, and both were quickly into the action.

Despite Morley continuing to pound the Kendal line, looking for a try which would give them a vital losing bonus point, the Kendal fourteen held firm, and as the Morley attacks became more desperate, a Kendal interception always looked possible.

Kendal held out for a first away win since their visit to Cleckheaton in late October.

With a few key players missing, Kendal were never at the best in attack, but the forwards took the two opportunities for a score well, and the defensive display for long periods of the second half was Kendal at their very best.

The win takes Kendal to within seven points of Billingham in sixth, who will be the last visitors to Mint Bridge in early April. Next up however is a difficult trip to second-placed Rossendale next weekend.