Kendal Push Rossendale, but Leaders Hold Firm

Rossendale RUFC left Mint Bridge with a hard-fought 20-35 victory over Kendal on Saturday, ensuring they stayed top of the table. In a game marked by mistakes and missed chances, Kendal made life difficult for the visitors, but Rossendale’s quality ultimately shone through when it mattered.

Bright Start for Kendal

Kendal, playing at home, started confidently despite the gloomy conditions. Just three minutes in, Rossendale conceded a penalty right in front of their posts, allowing Kendal’s stand-off Aaron Stephens to slot the kick and give the hosts an early 3-0 lead.

Rossendale’s early errors continued to gift Kendal chances. Nine minutes in, a loose interception in midfield led to another penalty in front of the sticks. Stephens once again stepped up and made no mistake, doubling Kendal’s lead to 6-0 after just 10 minutes.

Kendal capitalised further at 16 minutes. A penalty for offside on halfway gave Stephens the chance to kick to the corner. From the resulting line-out, Kendal’s pack drove powerfully, and prop Joe Anderson crashed over for a deserved try. Stephens added the conversion, and Kendal extended their lead to 13-0.

Rossendale Hit Back

After a poor opening, Rossendale sparked into life at 19 minutes. A penalty line-out on halfway set the platform, with the ball spun wide to Denny Solomona, who chipped ahead into space. Terence Babarinsa was quickest to react, gathering and diving over in the corner. Lewis Allen converted from the touchline to make it 13-7.

Rossendale continued to build momentum, and at 38 minutes they took the lead. After winning a scrum inside their half, the ball was moved through the hands to Zac Stephens, who burst through Kendal’s defensive line, shrugging off multiple tacklers to score under the posts. A fabulous individual try. Allen’s conversion made it 13-14 to Rossendale.

Just before the break, Rossendale extended their advantage. An interception deep in their own half by Alex Ropeti saw him charge 40 metres upfield. He passed inside to Ben Stephens, who was stopped just short of the line, but Jack Lightbown was on hand to finish the move. Another Allen conversion sent Rossendale into half-time with a 13-21 lead after a remarkable comeback.

Second Half: Bonus Point Secured

The visitors started the second half with intent. At 57 minutes, Tom Jones’ brilliant one-handed line-out catch set up a smooth move through midfield. Ropeti, who was outstanding all game, powered through tackles and offloaded to Gabe McGuire, who darted over to score. Allen’s conversion extended Rossendale’s lead to 13-28 and secured the all-important bonus point.

Kendal refused to give in, and at 62 minutes they struck back. After a missed Rossendale penalty rebounded off the post, Kendal countered with purpose. Tommy Calvert finished out wide following a slick passing move. Stephens added the extras, narrowing the gap to 20-28 and setting up a nervy final quarter.

Late Sealer

Rossendale had opportunities to put the game to bed, but a missed penalty by Allen at 72 minutes kept Kendal’s hopes alive. However, with just seconds remaining, Rossendale finally delivered the killer blow. From a scrum on Kendal’s five-metre line, the ball was shifted wide, and Allen threw a looping pass to Callum Whelan, who dived over in the corner. Allen nailed the touchline conversion to make the final score 20-35.

Room for Improvement

Rossendale left Kendal with a crucial bonus-point win, but they’ll know this was far from their best performance. Kendal’s determination, coupled with Rossendale’s mistakes, kept the contest alive longer than it should have been.

Despite the scrappy nature of the game, the result keeps Rossendale top of the league as they prepare for the busy Christmas fixtures. A win’s a win, but they’ll be looking to tighten things up in the weeks ahead.

Report by Sophie Macintosh