Kendal were the only Cumbrian club to stage a league game in the county on Saturday – but might have wished they had saved it to the new year.
The Mint Bridge 3G pitch provided the stage for the contest with Regional One North West leaders Blackburn.
It ended 57-10 to the visitors, in marked contrast to the game at Blackburn when Kendal had only lost by 10 points.
One of the Kendal tries on that occasion had been scored by Lewis Kincart but since then he has switched to Blackburn and was in the line-up at scrum-half.
They didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard and show their liking for the artificial surface with an unconverted try after two minutes.
Kincart was involved in the second three minutes later as he initiated the move which brought the converted try.
It looked like a long afternoon for the hosts but they buckled down and were able to reduce the arrears with a Dan Lowther penalty.
When Lowther tried again soon afterwards Blackburn ran the kick back and went the length of the field for a Kincart try.
Kincart almost went over the line for his second but although stopped a team-mate took over to get the ball down.
Kendal responded, though, and after a good run from Lowther it was Glen Weightman who broke through before putting a long kick to the right corner for Joe Fiddler to collect and score. Lowther converted from the touchline.
Unfortunately for Kendal they conceded another try right away and the last seconds of the half were given over to the Blackburn kicker to land a penalty for a 36-10 lead at the break.
If that score-line wasn’t bad enough five minutes into the second half Kendal lost one of their key players Steve Nelson – who was unable to return.
Blackburn had a man yellow-carded for an illegal challenge on Dan Shorrock but they still managed to get the first score of the half, a converted try.
Then it was Kendal’s turn to go down to 14 when Tadhg Butler was yellow carded just before Blackburn were up to full numbers.
In the last five minutes Blackburn scored two more tries to take them beyond the half century of points and record their first ever win in Kendal.
