Kendal 21, Blaydon 57
Blaydon and Harrogate both take maximum points in the play off race, while Billingham lose at Alnwick with 2 games to go.
Midland Premier – Luctonians still in 2nd place
Kendal 21 Blaydon 57
With bonus points absolutely vital in the 3-way battle for the important second place in the North Premier League Blaydon took on 3rd bottom Kendal in the knowledge that they had not lost to anyone outside the top 4 since October, and duly despatched them in a 9 tries to 3 rout.
The home side defended well enough in the first period when their line was crossed on only 3 occasions but after the break it was one-way traffic with Blaydon seemingly scoring every time that Kendal dropped the ball.
First to score was hooker Cam Bell after Keith Laughlin had driven through the home defence to find him with a short pass, and then leading try scorer Dan Marshall took over.
The centre firstly shot through a gap at a rate that split the cover wide open and then added a second when he again showed a clean pair of heels to anyone in a home shirt – an absolute belter of a try. Jamie Guy was on target with 2 conversions to make it 0-19 at the interval.
Alex Clark barged his way through the middle to secure try No4 and although Dan Barker replied for Kendal, Blaydon were running the ball at will and further scores were registered by David Lyall and Laughlin.
Barker then grabbed his second in a lull in the visitors scoring but Blaydon full-back Ryan Foreman joined the line in style to race in from 15 metres and soon after Marshall completed his hat-trick.
Kendal wing-forward Kirk Chettleburgh crossed for a 3rd home score, all of them converted by fly-half and leading points scorer Glen Weightman but fittingly it was Blaydon that had the last word when Robert Lenderyou applied the finishing touch to a massive overlap.
Guy’s 4 second-half conversions took the Blaydon total over the 50 points mark, and his side retain second position with 2 games to go and everything to play for.
John Brennan
