Kendal completed preparations for the opening League game at Sandbach on Saturday with a 31-28 win over Moortown.
The warm-up game was played at Windermere and Kendal introduced some new recruits including Argentinian Ignacio Cisint and Carlisle prop Joe Anderson.
Although having their full-back yellow-carded early on Moortown dominated at the start and it was against the run of play when Kendal took the lead.
A Moortown pass went astray near halfway, when a pass went astray, and centre Cisint, gathered and evaded tacklers to give his Kendal career a fine start with the try which Glen Weightman converted.
Kendal extended their lead after quarter of an hour after Dan Shorrock made a break down the right and although he looked to have been halted he still managed to wriggle into s position to stretch and touchdown.
Moortown opened their account early in the second quarter after the break and changes had been made. Although Dan Lowther appeared to have done enough to halt a break the ball was moved out of the tackle and the hooker touched down. The conversion made it 12-7.
Moortown went in front on 31 minutes when Lowther’s clearance kick was charged down and the prop eventually went over for a converted try.
With five minutes left Dini Noyo was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle but despite being handicapped on numbers Kendal scored to take a half-time lead of 17-14.
Kendal won line-out ball and after strong work from Danny Barker it was left to Lowther to draw in the defenders and send Shorrock over for his second try.
Kendal made a number of changes at half-time and they extended their lead after five minutes. From a penalty line-out the pack drove strongly before Joe Lashley broke-off to make the line. Chris Park converted.
Six minutes later they scored again, managing to retrieve the ball after initially losing it at a line-out.
From the forward drive Glenn Chesher broke away to touchdown and Park added the extras.
The Kendal lead was 31-14 going into the final quarter but within a minute were down to 14 men – and for the rest of the game as Noyo picked-up a second yellow for another dangerous tackle.
Moortown almost immediately made the man difference pay as they found space down the left to score and the conversion cut the gap to ten points.
The Leeds visitors scored again five minutes later and looked favourites to go on and win the game but Kendal did enough to protect their line and take the contest.
