Report by Dave Fernyhough
DESPITE scoring a brace of scintillating tries, and defending heroically for large portions of the game, Lymm were unable to resist Kendal’s relentless offence going down 20-14.
From the start it was clear that both sides were looking to play quite expansive rugby. The home side showed off first with mercurial winger, Noyo, coming close to setting up the opening score. His offload was knocked on however. The score would come soon, and Noyo would again be pivotal. A Kendal penalty for a Jake Ashall tip tackle set up a line out in Lymm’s 22. The attendant maul rolled for 15 metres and the Cumbrian patiently used this momentum to set up a nice score in the corner. The conversion was good, 7-0.
Kendal continued to press Lymm’s defence, assisted by Lymm’s inability to kick to clear their own line. However Lymm defended calmly and Kendal were unable to add to their tally. After 10 minutes Lymm finally made it into the Kendal half, but this possession came to nought, as the patience and attention shown in their defence was replaced by poor decision making and forcing the play when in attack.
When this Lymm team do click they are a joy to watch, and the next score was a true pleasure. From a line out in their own half, Ollie Higginson at inside centre made a powerful break through the middle of Kendal’s defence. His offload to Sam Mullarkey gave the visitors space behind the panicking home defence and with the Lymm backs in support, they combined well with Joe Knowles feeding Cormac Nolan to score out on the left.
Both sets of supporters voiced their appreciation of this score, and Nolan converted with ease. 7-7.
Lymm were to take the lead within minutes with a try that surpassed even their first.
From a scrum deep in their own half, the ball found Higginson in the midfield once more. His break was supported by Tom Bray who took the ball straight through the middle of the Cumbrian defence. His dummy pass created more space for himself and allowed him to slip the ball to Chris Owen who finished well on the right wing. Again Nolan converted a difficult opportunity, and Lymm now led 7-14.
The contest now settled into a pattern that would repeat itself many times. Kendal worked a number of opportunities but lacked the composure to finish them, or were undone by Lymm’s tireless defence. Lymm would then get possession and fail to put more than 3 phases together, and hand the ball back to their opponents. Add to this a real difficulty in kicking to clear, ensured the crowd got to see a lot of Lymm’s defensive ability.
An injury to Tom Baker forced a change at scrum half with Chris Owen moving in from the wing; Michael Floyd came on at outside centre with Richard McEvoy moving to right wing.
A missed Lymm penalty kick just before half time was the only further threat to the score board, and the half end with Lymm ahead by 7 points.
Linesman Millington gave the Mint Bridge faithful a thrill by providing the half time entertainment. His rendition of the fan dance, wearing only rugby boots and sparing his, and the crowds, blushes by using his flags as fans, was innovative and harked back to an era that would have been very familiar to many of the gathered masses.
HT 7 – 14
The second half was a brutal affair. A Lymm knock on from the kick off saw them trapped in their own 22, and they were only rarely able to venture any further forward for the duration of the half. Kendal fly half Weightman used his excellent kicking game to penalise each loose Lymm clearance and kept the visitors pinned in their right hand corner for many minutes. Lymm replied with fully committed defence which made for a tense atmosphere; each Kendal attack was repelled, and each Lymm clearance was returned whence it came.
Lymm had struggled with their lineout all game with limited jumper options, which at times seemed over complicated. A particular passage of play saw Kendal steal a Lymm line out 5 metres from their own line. A penalty ensued from the collapsed maul, and the home side chose to kick to the corner to repeat the maul. The efforts of Ross White, Jordan Widdrington and their comrades in the pack were outstanding, as dozens of Kendal mini rucks were pushed back from the try line. Kendal finally went wide but the pass was intercepted, then turned over and then intercepted again!
Coach Fletcher made a number of rolling changes. The mainly defensive work rate of the Lymm pack had been relentless and bodies needed resting. Matty Connolly came on for his debut 1st XV game since returning to the club, replacing Jake Ashall. Dan Horton came on at prop, with Mike Auden moving to second row in place of Will Baldwin. The heavy pitch was also taking its toll and Baldwin was soon back on to replace the injured Sam Mullarkey.
With Kendal getting no reward for such positional dominance, it seemed Lymm might be able to get on the front foot again, but knock-ons and forced passes again ensured Lymm were back defending deep in their own half. Eventually the inevitable try came with Weightman skipping past tired Lymm tackles after a penalty at yet another rolling maul. 14-14.
Lymm were looking more dispirited and Kendal were clearly growing in confidence. However it was to be a couple of Lymm errors that would give a deserved victory to the hosts.
Firstly, with their scrum now under building pressure, Lymm chose to try and run the ball from their own 5 metre line. A loose pass went to ground and a kickable penalty kick was awarded against them for tackling the onrushing Kendal player without the ball. 17-14.
The final nail in the coffin came from a poor attempt by Lymm to kick short and regather a drop out. The knock on that followed was accompanied by a penalty for going off their feet in the ruck and Weightman again had the easiest of chances to score another 3 points. 20-14.
Lymm put one last charge together in the dying seconds but could not advance the ball, and the final whistle went.
So, moments of both the sublime and the ridiculous (including a box kick from behind a maul that landed on that very same maul!). Much credit should go to the defence of everyone in a Lymm shirt, and to the obvious flair that is present in this attack. However, sometimes offensive grit and patience is needed and Lymm could not find this today. The home side however, oozed patience and know how, to build pressure and will do well this season. Next Saturday Lymm are at home to Billingham KO 3pm
Squad: 1) Mike Auden, 2) Ross White, 3) Jordan Widdrington, 4) Will Baldwin, 5) Joe Watson, 6) Jake Ashall, 7) Sam Mullarkey, 8) Adam Bray (C), 9) Tom Baker, 10) Tom Bray, 11) Cormac Nolan, 12) Ollie Higginson, 13) Richard McEvoy, 14) Chris Owens, 15) Joe Knowles, 16) Dan Horton, 17) Mike Floyd, 18) Matty Connolly
