Double Kendal comeback not enough to overturn Nuneaton (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Double Kendal comeback not enough to overturn Nuneaton

11:11am Tuesday 6th September 2011 in Rugby By Scott Kirk, Reporter

Nuneaton 38 Kendal 32 A DISASTROUS start to the game saw Kendal ship four tries in the first 23 minutes, giving Nuns a seemingly impregnable lead.

But Kendal staged two great comebacks at the end of both halves, and the Black and Ambers managed to get within a converted try of the Midlands club.

The first half was one way traffic for Nuneaton as the home side poured through the gaps. The first try was scored by Llyr Griffiths, their second row, who finished off a pick and go by his pack which scattered the Cumbrians. Two minutes later, a high kick against a strong swirling wind saw the Kendal defence hesitate, and Jamie Bernard followed up to take the high bounce and scoot over unopposed. This time Lee Chapman added the conversion and Kendal were all at sea.

Chapman engineered the third try when he passed to left wing Elliot Brown, who strolled over in the corner. It was a simple conversion after Brown worked his way towards the posts in the try area.

Chapman, an experienced fly half, was dominating the play, and collected his own simple kick through to score the fourth, and bonus point try, after just 20 minutes. He added another conversion, and all that Kendal had to show for their efforts was a penalty to Mark Ireland.

But Kendal stirred as the first half reached it’s end. The instigator was David Barton, who had a fine game in attack and defence, and a magnificent hand off saw him charge through the middle. He made an excellent break and unselfishly drew his man to put Leo Mercer over in the corner. Mark Ireland judged the strong wind to perfection to add the touchline conversion.

A few minutes later, Ireland fired a magnificent penalty kick to touch in the corner. A well-executed move followed as Reece Tomlinson caught the lineout, and the pack drove over the line for a converted try to find themselves going in at the break just four points behind, with the scoreline 24-20.

Nuneaton started the second half similarly to the way they began the first. Another Griffiths try gave the home side a greater cushion after a forward drive. Thomas later switched to the blind side from a set scrum, and put over Jamie Bernard for his second try, converted by Chapman, to make it 38-20.

But back came Kendal yet again, and another catch and drive saw them charge over. Ireland was unable to add the extras, but Kendal were growing in confidence.

In injury time, evergreen Ian Voortman made a scintillating break through the middle of the home defence, ably backed up by David Barton and Mark Ireland, and it was Ireland who dashed under the posts to bring Kendal back in it six points behind with 81 minutes on the clock.

Kendal went straight to the Nuneaton line after kick-off and a penalty was awarded to the Black and Ambers deep into enemy territory. With three points not being enough, Liam Hayton's men besieged the line. Twice they were over the line, but were held up against a pile of Nuneaton bodies, and Kendal could not quite get the converted try they needed to win.