Reece Tomlinson played his final game for Kendal on Saturday after announcing his retirement beforehand.
It was his 176th appearance for the Mint Bridge first team, during which time the big forward has scored 22 tries. He’s also landed one conversion.
There was no winning finale, however, as Kendal lost 22-14 at home to Stockport in the Papa John’s Cup competition.
It was a neat book-ended farewell as he had also made his debut against Stockport, away on 21st October 2006.
It would be fair to say he took a while to establish himself in the first team and did not qualify for his badge (20 appearances) until 2012/13.
He had a prominent campaign in 2013/14 but then moved on to play for Preston Grasshoppers; Rossendale and Kirkby Lonsdale before returning to Mint Bridge in 2021, He took over as captain last season.
Kendal had won at Stockport a week earlier to confirm a top-half of the table finish, but they couldn’t finish off in the Cup-tie.
It was a decider, too, as the other sides in the group Alnwick and Blaydon had pulled-out but Kendal couldn’t see it through after leading 14-10 at half-time.
Twelve unanswered points in the second-half saw Stockport through after Naki Saumaki and Leo Mercer had scored first half tries for Kendal, both converted by Luke Atkinson.
It was a poor day all round for Cumbrian clubs in the Papa John’s competition – Aspatria lost 45-19 at Vale of Lune; Creighton were beaten 59-7 at Bolton and in the tightest game of them all St. Benedict’s were beaten 19-6 at home by Sunderland.
