FT: Kendal 10 Caldy 59 (From The Westmorland Gazette)

FT: Kendal 10 Caldy 59

6:03pm Saturday 22nd October 2011 in Rugby By Patrick O'Kane, Senior News/Sport Reporter

A DEPLETED Kendal side were overpowered by a strong Caldy side as they went down 59-10 at Mint Bridge this afternoon, Saturday.

The Black and Ambers were forced to make four changes to the starting XV that were named after Thursday's training session, but the main positive for the hosts was the return of fly half Mark Ireland.

Kendal knew fourth placed Caldy would offer a stern test and after just ten minutes found themselves 13-0 behind.

Taking advantage of a Kendal offside, Richard Vasey kicked a penalty within three minutes and just moments later Kendal were again penalised for not rolling away and Vasey doubled his lead.

With the vast weight difference in the Caldy pack evident, it was not long before they broke through the last line of Kendal's defence and it was Andrew Soutar who ran on to a punt kick and darted through for the first try and Vasey converted.

Minutes later though Kendal had their only telling spell of territory in the first half and Ireland kicked a penalty to reduce the score to 13-3.

It proved Kendal's only score of the first half as Caldy dominated and some slack tackling and power driving from the visitors saw them go over three more times in the first half to lead 49-3.

With 14 minutes on the watch winger Gavin Roberts received the ball from a Caldy lineout and a crossfield run saw him blaze through the back line and ground the ball by the left corner flag, but Vasey missed his conversion.

A Vasey penalty and a dubious try from Dan Rowlands, which saw the ball thrown forward in the build up, took the score to 26-3 before Vasey added the extras.

Mike Roberts and Shaun Woof also went over as the visitors led by 46 points at the break.

A much improved second half brought more posession from the hosts and the home fans were cheering on 47 minutes when Peter Redhead went over.

A Kendal lineout was retained and a drive into the Caldy 22 allowed Redhead to go over in the corner and Ireland kicked a difficult conversion.

Five minutes later another Kendal burst had the home fans crowing as wave after wave of pressure from the pack was held back by Caldy and just when it looked like Jamie Postlethwaite had broken through, the referee pulled the ball back for a forward pass from Ian Voortman.

Caldy added the gloss to their first half performance when Mike Roberts scored an unconverted try, but with players coming back from injury, Kendal will be buoyed by the second half performance as they go into next weekend's home tie against Hull.

Kendal XV: 1 Dries Venter, 2 Matty Houghton, 3 Richard Harryman, 4 Liam Hayton, 5 Danny Redhead, 6 Joe Ellis, 7 Garry Holme, 8 Joe Mallinson, 9 Simon Davidson, 10 Mark Ireland, 11 Kris Baratton, 12 Chris Park, 13 Ian Voortman, 21 Jamie Postlethwaite, 15 Nathan Woof.

Replacements: 16 Glen Cheshire, 17 Billy Coxon, 18 Dan Lowther, 19, Peter Redhead, 20 Duncan Green.