Kendal too strong for Greens

Wigton were hit by the late withdrawals of David Hanabury, Robert Marrs and Lyndsey Walker and, though they stick to their task manfully, they were outgunned by a powerful Kendal side who notched up a 12-65 win at Lowmoor Road.

Wigton kicked off into the breeze but were immediately penalised for being in front of the kicker. This gave the visitors an early chance to attack which they duly did through a series of powerful drives and carries by their forwards. When Wigton had the ball, they missed their kick to touch and Kendal came back at them in the same fashion. A couple of strong forward carries made inroads into the home 22 and when the ball was spun wide there was a big overlap which centre Mark Carruthers ignored, backing himself to crash over for the opening try.

Wigton kicked long at the restart, but this gave Kendal fly half Glenn Weightman ample time to use the wind and send the ball back to Wigton's 22. Kendal gained possession and with the ball being kept close, prop Duncan Green went over for the second try. Weightman. Added the conversion to make the score 0-14.

Wigton were finding it hard to get out of their own half and Kendal drove a lineout from the edge of Wigton's 22. Hooker Gary Holmes broke away, bounced off a tackler and went over for Kendal's third try. Soon after, Wigton lost the ball in midfield and centre Bob Mataia picked up. Kendal then handled very slickly, avoiding contact whilst offloading to support players, resulting in winger Dini Noyo scampering over for a bonus point try. With only a quarter of the game gone and the score already 0-24, things were not looking at all promising for Wigton, but thereafter they were able to slow down the score rate and put together some promising phases of play of their own.

It was, however, Kendal who scored next as more good offloading and support work from the forwards produced a try for No 8 James Thompson, making the score 0-31.

Wigton replied with a good try of their own. With Kendal penalised for offside, Wigton won a lineout in the Kendal 22. After a couple of forward drives fly half Jonny Charters found full back Gregg Smith running a good line picking out a gap in the defence and scoring a good try to narrow the gap to 5-31.

Unfortunately Wigton then knocked on from the restart giving Kendal a scrum in a good attacking position. Thompson picked up and made good initial ground. When the ball was moved wide, good decoy runs created space for for full back Nathan Wooff to score.

With the scoreboard showing 5-36, the half ended on a downbeat note for Kendal when referee Martin Maughan rather harshly showed the yellow card to Thompson for going in at the side to fall on the ball on halfway.

In the second half Kendal were under way again when Wigton skipper Fergus Ledingham was deemed to have picked the ball out of Kendal's scrum. Weightman's kick set up a lineout and a long ball from Weightman to Wooff stretched the defence. When the ball was recycled and moved back inside, Holmes was on hand to take the pass and crash over for his second try.

Wigton then enjoyed a good period of play. Ledingham's teasing chip,over the top was claimed by Smith although Wigton knocked on a couple of phases later. Wigton surprised Kendal by taking the ball against the head and Kendal were penalised a few metres out. Wigton set up a driving maul and when the ball was moved to the backs, good handling gave winger Ryan Clark the space to get outside the defence to score. The Charters conversion made the score 12-41.

Shortly after the restart Mr Maughan showed consistency by yellow carding Wigton's prop Russell McLean for a fairly commonplace offence in the tackle area. Kendal made short work of kicking for a lineout, catching and driving and allowing Holmes to claim a hat trick, and making the score 12-46.

Wigton thought they had scored next when centre Chris Pattinson intercepted an offload. He found Smith with a long pass and he claimed a try in the corner, but the referee deemed him to have gone into touch.

Kendal's next try was a scruffy affair. Weightman passed to no one in particular and then retrieved his own pass, confusing defenders and attackers in equal proportions. The upshot was the ball found its way to winger Chris Park who scored a converted try making the score 12-53.

The last two tries saw Kendal take advantage of tiring defenders. First Nayo, now at scrum half showed his elusive qualities by wriggling his way through defenders and over the line. Finally Mataia bounced off a tackler and hustled his way overcome line to seal,the win for Kendal at 12-65.

The sponsors voted Full Back Gregg Smith as the home team's man of the match.