RUGBY: Rich pickings for Kendal's kicking ploy

KENDAL discovered kicking, someone said after beating Nottingham.

It was not the whole story, but harnessed to a compelling, fully-committed display it was a key factor in establishing an impressive platform which ultimately gave them a four tries to two advantage.

The up-and-under at Mint Bridge has been a rare bird, but there were a couple here and, given their success, perhaps should have been more to a full-back who looked jittery under pressure.

Fly-half Casey Mee and full back Mike Scott took every opportunity to kick back into the opposition territory.

And despite the disadvantage of giving away possession, by getting up quickly into faces and rucking and mauling forcibly to force errors, they knocked the big-city visitors out of their stride.

Usettled and unsure how to reply, it was not until the Midlanders threw the ball about with abandon, and with undisguised desperation, that they began to pose a serious threat.

By that stage, Kendal were sitting on a hefty 20-point cushion five minutes after half-time and they survived everything Nottingham's high-octane backs could deliver thanks to some individual and collective last-ditch defending.

Flanker Colin Wolstenholme was out after injurying a groin at work in midweek, which saw the plans scrapped for lineout specialis Keith Robinson to move from flanker to replace Richard Harryman in the second row as they reverted back to last week's roles.

Thrower Ian Gowing's confidence grew visibly with the scoreline and the vital ones all found their mark.

Still smarting from early sucker-punch scores in their last two matches, Kendal came out in an indomitable mood this time and stamped their authority upon the match from the outset.

After 40 seconds they were beating on Nottingham's door after the the full back dropped a high kick and fly-half Casey Mee tried a drop attempt which dipped under the bar.

Staying down in Nottingham's half, Kendal then scored a try after three minutes when quick ball from a scrum in midfield was moved to Ian Voortman, whose curving run foxed Nottingham as he burst through from 20 metres out to go over the tryline and run round towards the posts.

Mike Scott pushed the conversion attempt wide, but at 5-0 Kendal had a confidence boost upon which to build.

Nottingham forced their way down to the Kendal tryline soon afterwards, but lost possesion at the lineout and conceded a penalty at the breakdown - and knew they would have to graft for everything.

Kendal were not resting on any laurels, however, and made a marvellous collective effort out of what began as a piece of individual opportunism.

Ambushing Nottingham in midfield, scrum-half Jimmy Thompson's quick tap set flanker Nathan Bland on his way for a 30-metre dash through the middle and Scott was up in support quickly to act as link-man to feed Steve Healey, whose weaving run took him close to the tryline, where he off-loaded the ball to Casey Mee to dart over from close range for an unconverted score.

Kendal were kicking astutely to keep the pressure on and set up camp in the Nottingham 22 coming up to the half-hour.

After illegally stalling two driving mauls fuelled by Ian Thompson and Billy Coxon, Nottingham were warned for offending and when they did it a third time, the referee award a penalty try and Scott kicked the conversion from into front of the posts to make it 17-0.

Nottingham counter-attacked particuarly efficiently and showed they had plenty of pace in the backs to threaten the home tryline again.

Kendal's defence was outstanding, however, and they they were rewarded for their resolution when Nottingham fly-half Russ Southam they missed two realtively easy penalty chances before half time.

Five minutes into the second half, Nottingham's dissent at a penalty award took them 10 metres back to their own line and helped Scott slot over the kick to make it 20-0.

Nottingham's play always had a hint of desperation afterwards but it brought them two tries in a threatening 10-minute spell.

Turning over Kendal ball at a ruck, the visitors moved it slickly and both centres were involved as they burst 60 metres downfield before Southam made the final pass for second-row Alan Johnston to make the touchdown.

Voortman and Dodds both had to sprint back to make a try-saving tackles on seperate occasions but Nottingham breached the line for a second time in the 60th minute, winning a penalty lineout in the corner and driving on for flanker Richard Lloyd to ground the ball in the corner.

Southam's conversion attempt from wide out failed.

Eight minutes later, Kendal kept the lid on the comeback bid with a fourth try.

Mee again opened play with a chip-kick through and Scott put pressure on the receiver to force a clearance into touch inside the Nottingham 22.

Hooker Ian Gowing produced perfect lineout ball for Mike Capstick to set up a drive before it was moved out on the narrow side for Scott to squeeze over near the corner-flag.

Kendal still needed to defend heroically, Jason Balmer keeping out his opposite number and Ian Bateson producing superb turnover ball, while Keith Robinson deserves a mention for his foraging at the rucks to unsettle the opposition all afternoon.