Rochdale RUFC 15 - 25 Kendal

Photo: Alan Mellalieu

Rochdale RUFC 15 - 25 Kendal

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Kendal are a formidable outfit and the opening results of the season predictated a hard game ahead for Rochdale, and so it turned out. Both teams played their part in an afternoon of entertaining and pulsating rugby with Kendal securing the win with a try on the final whistle.

Kendal opened in confident fashion and ran the ball with great purpose, keeping the Rochdale defence on the back foot.

Rochdale had the first clear-cut break as Sean Needham scooped up a rare loose ball and burst through a tackle. He maintained his momentum and ran 30 metres before the Kendal defence was able to haul him down 10 metres short of the line.

Kendal reacted fiercely and drove hard at the Rochdale backs and with good support play forced the home side deep into their own 22. The Rochdale line-out provided brief respite with a clean catch by Chris Hodgkinson for James Duffy to clear. The relief was short-lived as Kendal mounted five phases of quick passing and confident nimble-footed running to eventually over stretch the home defence and score out on the left wing. The Kendal stand-off added the conversion.

Rochdale reacted with style. Needham provided the initial thrust but it was speedy support play from Leo Frechou and then Jon Mair coming back on the angle cleverly linking with captain Tom Callaghan to dummy, accelerate through the gap and stretch to the line for the score. Ollie Coldman duly added the extras to level the score.

Kendal responded with a sustained period of pressure which the Rochdale defence worked hard to contain. The ball retention of Kendal in attack was proving to be their strong point, threatening to over-run Rochdale but resolute, and at times last-ditch, tackles managed to keep them from scoring during this period of dominance. When Kendal did make an error Rochdale proved their own strengths in both the scrum and the line-out to give James Duffy the chance to clear.

Tom Helliwell took another Pat Philbin throw in the line-out and Josh Schofield with a quick half-break provided the room for winger Jordan Reynolds to beat a couple of would-be tacklers before being dragged down by good cover 15 metres out.

Kendal again broke out of defence and mounted a period of pressure in the Rochdale half where props Dale Slamon and Tom Callaghan put in a good shift in the loose scrums but it was strong work from Mair, Helliwell and Tom Hindle in the midfield that eventually cleared the Rochdale line.

The half ended with Rochdale in the ascendency with stand-off Duffy executing a deft chip and sprint for the line only to be hauled down 10 metres short and the Kendal line safe.

Half time: Rochdale RUFC 7 - 7 Kendal

The second half opened with a short bout of aerial ping pong and tit-for-tat dropsies, however, both sides reverted to type when Rochdale winger Rob Willets set off on a 30 metre mazy run to the Kendal 22 metre line.

Kendal turned over possession and cleared long to put them back on the attack and their fleet and nimble-footed left winger showed his paces.

Good work from Frechou and Hindle finally snuffed the danger and Duffy was able to clear.

Coldman came into the line after a break from Hodgkinson at the back of the scrum and released Reynolds to take the ball into the visitors 22 for Rochdale to win a penalty which Coldman slotted to give Rochdale the lead.

Back came Kendal, winning a line-out on half way they kept ball in hands with some exciting running and eventually Rochdale conceded a penalty in front of their posts - converted by the Kendal stand-off to level the score.

Anthony Burleigh and Harry Hill entered the fray for Rochdale, as did Kendal veteran prop Richard Harryman. The Kendal scrum was now far more effective and they were able to mount a prolonged period of exciting attacking play and finished with a try wide out. The kick sailed just wide of the posts.

Kendal kept up the pressure and another attack saw the ball move across the pitch and back again, courtesy of good accurate passing and finally out-flanked the Rochdale defence for their best try of the afternoon.

Once more in this pulsating contest Rochdale responded and in a very similar fashion to Kendal they manufactured a superb try of their own. Strong running and clinical passing from centres Mair and Schofield providing just enough space for young Burleigh to go over wide on the right.

Rochdale were worrying Kendal, especially through scrum-half Alan Tweedale who had harried his opposite number all afternoon. It looked as if Tweedale had won the ball at the back of the Kendal scrum but quick reactions from the Kendal back-row regained possession and a bouncing ricochet from a cross kick bounced kindly into the arms of their dangerous left winger to run in wide out just before the final whistle.

Kendal ended worthy winners but had had to work very hard indeed for the result and although Rochdale had no points to show for their endeavour they can take heart from the spirit and skill shown by the whole squad and be assured that better results will follow performances like this.