THIS National 3 North league derby game at Woodlands produced a very tightly fought match up to the last 13 minutes when Fylde counter attacked well to score two tries, securing the victory and the bonus point for scoring four tries.

However, despite another loss, Kendal put in their best performance of the season so far and just need to find that elusive cutting edge to break open defences and score tries.

Their hard-working and determined forwards domin-ated possession and territory without crossing the tryline.

And for this contest Kendal came up with an inspired positional change - switching scrum-half Jimmy Thompson to stand-off and Andrew Boardley to scrum-half - which certainly seemed to improve Kendal's performance, giving them more options and direction in midfield.

It was Kendal who forced the first scoring opportunity when Fylde were penalised in the sixth minute at a driving maul. Unfortunately Boardley missed to the left of the posts with his penalty attempt at goal.

Two minutes later Fylde were off target when stand-off Mike Scott pushed his penalty attempt to the right of the posts.

Unlike Kendal, Fylde were able to find that something extra to break down the visitors' defence and after the ball was swept swiftly across the field through their backs on 14 minutes, the forwards drove hard close to the tryline, from where hooker Craig McIntyre crashed over for a score that Scott converted.

Kendal battered away at Fylde for the remainder of the half without success until on the stroke of half time they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, which Boardley slotted over for a half-time score of 7-3.

What turned out to be a rare foray into the Kendal 22 early in the second half earned Fylde a penalty and Kendal were caught off guard by the quickly-taken penalty that saw full back Richard Kenyon streak in for the score, again converted by Scott.

Kendal centre Martin Armstrong produced something close to his best form after his long injury lay-off and he looked to have shaken off the home defence midway through the half but an excellent cover tackle denied him a try.

Instead Fylde's third try came in the 65th minute when the Fylde back row, who caused Kendal problems throughout, gained turnover ball on halfway and kicked for the corner.

Kendal lost the resulting lineout and flanker Andy Atkinson was driven over for the score, which Scott converted.

Kendal continued to press the Fylde defence and were certain prop Richard Harryman had scored from some excellent Kendal driving play, but the referee controversially adjudged the ball had been knocked on when it had been kicked out of his grasp after he had touched it down.

An opportunist breakaway sent centre Paul Reeves racing in at the corner to score Fylde's fourth and final try which Kendal did not deserve to concede two minutes from full time.