Rugby - Gate backs pack too much pace for Kendal (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Gate backs pack too much pace for Kendal

8:01pm Saturday 13th February 2010 in

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PLENTY of possession and territory came Kendal's way at Harrogate, but a lack of a cutting edge to turn it into points contributed to a 28-21 defeat at Claro Road.

The consolation was Kendal full back Mark Ireland's 40-metre penalty which secured a losing bonus-point with three minutes to go.

Harrogate's well-drilled backs had abundant pace and it was all the visitors could do to keep the lid on their counter-attacks when they had the ball.

Kendal gave possession away with an up-and-under and it led to sustained Harrogate pressure on the tryline before winger Chris Harris was put over in the left corner for an unconverted try after nine minutes.

Harrogate's weakspot was conceding kickable penalties as they struggled to come to terms with the referee.

Ireland clawed three points back in the 12th minute but Harrogate cancelled it out soon afterwards.

At last Kendal patiently began putting phases of play together in the forwards and Ireland converted another penalty to close the gap to 8-6 after 26 minutes.

However, the promise was dashed when Harrogate scored two tries in four minutes.

Full back Ed Smithies lethally joined the play from a scrum and cut inside, sweeping past two attempted tackles to score the posts for a converted score.

Then after Kendal had pounded away at the Harrogate 22 with promise, they conceded turnover ball and a clever cross-kick set in motion a slick inter-passing sequence up the right wing to put Steve Parsons in the clear for a superb try which went almost the length of the pitch.

At 22-6 Harrogate were in command but three minutes from half time, Kendal fly-half Mike Scott kicked to the corner after a penalty for a ruck offence and the forwards mauled the penalty lineout over the line with Gary Hodgson touching down and Ireland adding the extras.

Kendal's second half was a story of unfulfilled promise.

Three times Scott kicked to the corner for penalty lineouts in the opening ten minutes without any reward.

Instead Harrogate kicked a penalty and a drop-goal from their scraps of ball to extend their lead to 28-13.

To their credit, Kendal still kept plugging away and were rewarded with a second try when space was created neatly by a loop move between Ian Voortman and John Ladell to put Matt Gracie over to dot the ball down for five points.

But the result was already beyond recall and the best they could hope for was a bonus-point, which Ireland delivered with a stunning 40-metre penalty.

With top of the table Loughborough Students at home next Saturday, Kendal will need to improve significantly to be competitive.