Kendal 32 - Darlington MP 7...

WHEN a Kendal prop-forward grabs two tries, you know you are watching total conviction rugby and Billy Coxon's scores exemplified the spirit of a purposeful performance, writes Richard Daniels.

Personal honour more than match points was at stake in front of their own Mint Bridge crowd after being given the run-around by these opponents 12 months ago.

But the real achievement of the Black and Ambers was in turning that raw emotion for revenge into a cohesive, disciplined display to outmanoeuvre their physically bigger if less-focussed opponents.

The forwards showed urgency and teamwork to secure the a first-half platform of superiority and Kendal fly-half Dan Stephens used quick ball to make several probing breaks and he and half-back partner Mark Airey also used the wind advantage to push Mowden back with some effective kicking.

Early omens for Mowden were notgood as they put the ball straight into touch from the kick-off and sloppily sent a penalty aimed for the corner behind the dead-ball area.

Even so, Kendal's improved defensive resilience still had to face an early test as flanker Mark Bowman had to made a try-saving tackle on the Darlington inside centre after he burst through into the 22.

Kendal counter-attacked from a tap-penalty and released jack-in-the-box Armstrong whose elusive acceleration took him clear before he brushed off a cover tackler on an arcing 60-metre run-in. Stephens added the touchline conversion to enhance Kendal's enthusiastic start.

Darlington came back with a series of good forward drives in the 20th minute, but never built on this strong-point as they seemed fixated with trying to get their wide men into play. Kendal tackled tirelessly and were rewarded by forcing handling errors and knock-ons.

When Armstrong opened the defence again he found Simon Mulholland in support for an overlap on the right flank, but the final pass failed to reach John Ladell's hands and a chance went begging.

Kendal's grip on the game tightened, however, as they camped on the Mowden tryline with props Richard Harryman and Coxon and the rest of the pack battering away before an increasingly hapless Darlington strayed offside and Stephens added the penalty.

The pack's commitment was reflected at the mauls and rucks, where Mowden frequently fell foul of the referee who policed the breakdown situation very keenly.

Well worth their 10-0 half-time lead, Kendal went further ahead with three more tries after the interval, the first arriving seven minutes into the half.

It may have been out of position but not out of character as Coxon appeared in the threequarter line. Turning as if to make a pop-up pass, the bluff worked as he spun round and galloped over from 15 metres for an enterprising score, improved by Stephens to make it 17-0.

Roaring on with real authority, Kendal created an 80-metre breakaway from their own 22 with Mulholland cutting through and Armstrong maintaining the momentum.

Just when it looked as if the cover had got across in numbers, Kendal's superb inter-passing kept the flowing move going as Paul Dodds allowed Luke Ladell to cut back inside and Dave Preston was up with the speed merchants to take the pass and go over from close range.

Stephens added a drop-goal shortly afterwards after a driving maul following Liam Hayton's lineout catch. And as dissent in the Mowden ranks showed, Kendal consolidated with a fourth try to earn a bonus point six minutes from the end.

From a penalty catch and drive, Kendal had Mowden back-pedalling as a 10-man maul forced its way over for Coxon to emerge with the ball.

The successful conversion from Stephens made it 32-0 before Mowden earned a consolation score with a possible fifth try for Kendal turning into break-out down the left which ended in flanker Jason Smithson touching down a chip over the lineand Iain Dixon converting.

n Kendal 2nd XV won 32-24 away at Preston Grasshoppers and Hornets won 35 - 5 away at Garstang in a friendly.