Kendal have experienced another season of difficulties with their appearance in the Papa John’s Cup.
Two of their scheduled opponents for this year’s competition have pulled out.
The Mint Bridge side should have played at Stoke last year but the Potteries side decided to withdraw.
Last year’s initial competition, introduced in part to compensate for losing the income from two home games as the leagues were reduced from 14 to 12 teams, was generally regarded as poorly organised.
There were teething problems with the Cup with some matches arranged that meant enormous travel distances and as a consequence there were many late withdrawals.
This season the draw was made before Christmas and clubs were required to express their interest and then had until the end of January to confirm their involvement.
Kendal were drawn in a group with Stockport, Alnwick and Blaydon and, had two home fixtures out of the three matches.
But as club chairman Stephen Green explains, it hasn’t worked-out like that for Kendal.
He says: “Our last league game on April 6 is away at Stockport with the following Saturday, April 13, a home fixture against Stockport in the Papa John’s Cup. This was to be followed by an away match at Alnwick on April 20 and a home fixture against Blaydon on April 27.
“We heard over the Easter weekend that Alnwick had withdrawn from the competition some three weeks previously, but we had no formal communication from the RFU to that effect.
“Blaydon found that their only home fixture (v Alnwick) was gone and were faced with the prospect of two bus journeys without the ability to generate funds from a home fixture.
“They asked the RFU to find them a replacement home fixture, but when two weeks had passed without a response, they reluctantly decided to withdraw as well.
“At the moment we still have the home fixture v Stockport but the viability of the match must be in question. A second year with a disappointing outcome does not bode well for the future.”
