THE LONDON A-Z is required reading once again and this time it's turn right at Kew Gardens to a famous name in rugby - Richmond, who are fighting back after a spectacular fall from grace.

The capital's exclusive suburb will be Kendal's destination on Saturday, October 16, in the third round of the Powergen Cup following another tense afternoon before beating Reading 36-31 last weekend.

Richmond, a founding father of the RFU, were the first professional club in the Premier League but spiralled out of the league altogether eight years ago when their financial power-broker pulled out.

They are bouncing back after their reinstatement four seasons ago and play in London 1 - a step down from the National Leagues - with a world record of 79 consecutive league wins behind them.

Before then Kendal return to National North 3 rugby with a trip to less glamorous but equally competitive Tynedale in the North-East this Saturday.

Tynedale are joint second in the table and unbeaten in two matches, winning 45-28 away at Bradford and Bingley and 30-18 at home to Darlington Mowden Park.

Kendal....................... 36 Reading..................... 31 A TEN-TRY feast shared between the sides made for splendid entertainment and the outcome of this exciting Powergen Cup match remained in the balance up to the final whistle.

From Kendal's viewpoint it was disappointing again to build a useful points cushion and see it all but demolished, but they displayed the better control and composure under pressure and deserved to progress into the competition's third round.

It was a satisfying outcome, too, given that Andy Hudson was added to Kendal forwards on the injured list when turning a ankle in the warm-up, making it nothing short of a remarkable effort to match their robust counterparts.

Switched into the second row in the reshuffle, Liam Hayton performed magnificently and has improved into a first-rate combatant, while the rest of the pack produced a determined and dogged effort.

Kendal's backs again looked a cut above when put in space, particularly in the first half, and from a break downfield, the forwards brought an early try after three minutes as flanker Gary Holmes was driven over from a short penalty from eight metres out and Dan Stephens converted.

Reading reacted by retaining the ball well and moving a tap penalty wide for full back Ramish Gard to join the play and burst over for an unconverted score.

Maintaining the pressure Reading missed an eminently 16th-minute penalty when Gard casually scooped the ball past the posts.

Prop Richard Harryman relieved the danger for Kendal with a powerful run and set up a sweeping move, Martin Armstrong's mazy thrust supported by Simon Mulholland, whose quick offload came off Jon Ladell's fingertips for what would be a clear run-in.

Two tries followed in two minutes, however, as Kendal enjoyed their best spell in the game.

Collecting a Reading drop-out from the 22, Stephens chipped an angled kick out to the corner for Dodds to dive on to it, his momentum taking him over for the try, which Stephens converted for a 14-5 lead.

Kendal were back over the tryline when a poor Reading clearance kick allowed Armstrong to counter-attack with a swerving infield run.

He found Mark Airey outside him and quick hands from him put Stephens in for an unconverted score.

At 19-5 Kendal looked in control but that changed when forwards Jim Bracken and Richard Harryman were both sinbinned in the space of three minutes going up to half time.

Reduced to 13 men, Kendal had a let-off when Reading centre Wynand Binedell put a foot across the dead-ball line after he had crossed the tryline. The visitors quickly atoned by seizing on loose ball at the back of a Kendal lineout and whipping it out for Duncan Mollinson to score an unconverted try on the left wing to cut the deficit to 19-10 at half time.

Two minutes into the second half, Kendal's ability to turn defence into attack produced a fourth try.

Stephens' clearance kick from behind his own post was kept in play by Ladell, who hacked the ball on three times in a shoulder-to-shoulder race to the tryline.

Although the Reading defender dived ahead of him, he was adjudged not to have got downward pressure on the ball and Ladell got the touch down, Stephens adding the extras. It was Ladell's last part in the action as he limped off injured to be replaced by Chris Park.

Reading then began a concerted effort to reel in the points difference with the pace of their lively scrum-half Jeremy Flynn causing problems.

Flynn burst upfield from a scrum and eluded several tackle attempts before passing out for right wing Sean Lynch to go over, replacement kicker Alex Wallace converting to make it 26-17.

Reading were buzzing and scored another try when centre Binedell made a direct run through the defence. Although eventually tackled, the ball was recycled but ragged Kendal marking allowed centre Nick Brook an easy run-in and the successful conversion cut the gap to two points.

Kendal cancelled out that score three minutes later, Armstrong gliding away before Park and Mulholland kept the the fluency going for Dodds to finish off in the corner. Yet again Reading came back with Lynch going over on the wing after a clearnace kick on the 22 went straight out.

Indifferent handling was Reading's Achilles' heel and Kendal got their hands on the ball to earn a penalty Stephen's 40-metre effort giving them a five-point lead they protected well this time.