Carlisle 20 - 25 Kendal

DINI Noyo grabbed two late tries as a young Kendal team exacted Cumbria Cup revenge on Carlisle.

On their last visit to Carlisle three weeks ago Kendal saw a ten point lead evaporate in the final minutes but this time it was their turn to deliver the late drama in the quarter final showdown.

Kendal were trailing 20-15 going into the 79th minute but late Noyo tries saw them squeeze through into the semi-finals of the cup.

With first choice players unavailable or rested, Kendal made eight changes to the team which started at Broughton Park last weekend with eighteen-year-old prop Jake Broomhead making his club debut.

Carlisle made a brisk started and opened the scoring after just four minutes with a long range penalty by centre Damian Armstrong but they immediately put themselves under pressure from the kick off with a knock on.

Kendal went on the attack and after good runs from Mark Carruthers and Noyo, Carlisle were caught offside in midfield, but the penalty failed.

Relief was however short lived for Carlisle as Bob Mataia gathered a loose kick and bounced out of several attempted tackles to charge down the right wing for a try which was converted by Glen Weightman.

Left-wing Martin Brodie put Carlisle back in front but Dan Greenwood then put Kendal ahead again with a try of his own after 26 minutes.

A Carlisle player chipped the ball through but Noyo gathered and fed Nathan Woof who made a powerful run. Mataia took the move on and Greenwood was in support for the score to give Kendal a 12-8 lead at the break.

Kendal started the second half well and Weightman extended their lead to seven points with a penalty before Carlisle hit back with two quick tries.

First Carlisle’s right wing Oliver Barker anticipated a loose Kendal pass to go under the sticks with the conversion points added from Damian Armstrong.

In almost a carbon copy of the move that won them the game earlier in the season, Carlisle ran the kick-off back and having stretched the Kendal defences on the right, swung the ball left for the try to be scored by Brodie.

With the score finely balanced on 20-15 with twenty minutes to play, Kendal brought Josh Chaplow, Dan Lowther and Jack Lashley off the bench for Greenwood, Woof and Broomfield.

And with minutes to spare Kendal's pressure finally told.

Carlisle gave away a penalty from which Weightman found an excellent long touch to turn defence into attack.

Rob Wightman took the lineout ball which was moved into midfield, where Mataia made a powerful break to the line before getting a pass away to Noyo who squeezed over in the corner to draw the scores level with a minute of normal time to play.

Weightman had a difficult touchline conversion to seal the victory but it drifted wide to the cheers of the Carlisle faithful.

However there was a further twist to come.

When the restart kick came to Weightman he spotted a gap in the Carlisle defence, breaking through before feeding Lowther who powered towards the line before delivering a pass to Noyo, who crossed the line at the same spot for a second time in two minutes.

The difficult conversion again failed but it was the final kick of the game and Kendal progressed into the semi-finals.

Kendal team:

15 Nathan Woof

14 Alistair Thompson

13 Mark Carruthers

12 Bob Mataia

11 Dini Noyo

10 Glen Weightman

9 Matt Kaye

1 Duncan Green (C)

2 Robbie Collinson

3 Jake Broomfield

4 Rob Wightman

5 Ben Leacock

6 James Cox

7 Rhys Studt

8 Dan Greenwood

Substitutes: Jack Lashley, Josh Chaplow, Dan Lowther