Kendal were the only one of the three Cumbrian sides in North One West to get a game on Saturday.
Carlisle had to cry off at Altrincham Kersal because of a shortage of front row players while Penrith’s trip to the Isle of Man was called off after RFU advice.
Kendal were able to make the relatively short trip to Lancaster to play Vale of Lune, although the game was played in vision-impeding fog which was a weather hazard in various parts of the north west.
In a tense contest Kendal got the win, but no bonus point, from a 17-14 victory
Vale had made a promising start but they might have been reduced to 14 when a home prop felled Dan Shorrock with a high neck tackle in Kendal’s first serious attack. The referee only decided to give the penalty.
After 15 minutes it was Vale who made the breakthrough when the Kendal defence had gone ASWOL after a kick was put in. Home winger Jordan Fern gratefully accepted the simple opportunity to put his side ahead and Alex Briggs converted.
The penalty count against Vale was now rising as Kendal increased the tempo and pressure. There were a number of warnings before Manchester referee George Nuttall decided to show a yellow card – to the prop who had transgressed earlier without personal punishment.
Kendal were dominating the scrums and when they had the chance against an opposition pack just welcoming a new prop they barged them back over their own line and Dan Greenwood claimed an unconverted try.
There was an apparent chance for Vale to extend their lead just before the break but after a cross kick was taken cleanly, leaving the winger with a clear run to the line, the referee blew for offside.
There was a strong start to the second half from the visitors against a stubborn Vale defence but eventually they got their reward.
Shorrock made a break before kicking ahead and although a Vale defender got across he couldn’t make contact with the ball and the Kendal man got the touchdown for a 10-7 lead.
Midway through the second-half Vale were back in front with the try of the game as full-back Chris Ramwell weaved his way through the mist and the Kendal defenders with equal precision to touchdown. Briggs converted.
Trailing 14-10 Kendal again raised the tempo of the game and Vale once again started to conceded a rush of penalties.
From a scrum and after forcing Vale backwards, Kendal moved the ball smartly and Dan Lowther came at pace to take a pass and score. Chris Park’s conversion went in off the post and the visitors had a three point lead.
That prompted a big response by the home side and on a number of occasions desperate defence from Kendal was needed as players had to be hauled down just short of the try line.
Indeed they had the chance of a draw but declined what seemed a simple penalty kick to go for the try but Kendal defiantly held on with some outstanding defence.
Elsewhere St. Benedict’s were the only Cumbrian side to get in a game as they lost a well-contested North Two West clash at Mirehouse 21-15 against Winnington Park.
Keswick and Cockermouth had their North Two West games postponed because of Covid concerns, as did Aspatria in their Durham/Northumberland One game at leaders Percy Park.
No Cumbria League games were scheduled for the day.
