Huddersfield RU 40
Kendal 7
(National II North)
A BRACE of tries from skipper Nick Sharpe took him to the top of Huddersfield’s try-scoring list and put his side firmly back in the play-off spot after this commanding victory over Kendal.
From the moment he dummied his way over the line for the opening try after just four minutes, the result was never really in doubt, only the margin of victory against the plucky Cumbrian club who were otherwise outclassed.
Sharpe’s side dominated all over the park, and although head coach Dan Hyde was slightly disappointed at conceding a try early in the second half, he was nevertheless satisfied at the way his team stuck to the game plan especially in the first half, when they wrapped up a rare attacking bonus point with four well-worked tries.
The second half performance was less emphatic as the visitors came out with renewed determination, and Huddersfield maybe just took their foot off the gas a little with victory already safely tucked in the bag.
The margin would have been greater had it not been for a couple of forward passes – the last one to the returning Lee Brown (which was at best marginal) and would certainly have resulted in a second score for the rangy second rower.
The opening was decisive and direct as Huddersfield were immediately on the attack with centre Mike Clark’s punt downfield quickly recovered from where Sharpe took up the ball, dummied a defender and crashed over the line, although the referee had to confer with his linesman before awarding the score.
Chris Johnson knocked over the extras, and Field were on their way.
Ian Boardley missed a penalty for Kendal at the other end as the home side were frequently pinged for infringing around the rucks before slick passing and quick hands by scrum half Joel Hinchliffe sent Johnson away on a run, who after shimmying past several defenders laid the ball off to supporting prop Tony Stringwell to charge under the sticks for his first try of the season.
Johnson again added the conversion, while his opposite number missed a second penalty from in front of the posts as the visitors continued to struggle, particularly up front where Sharpe, new prop Lawrence Sanderson, Brown and Gareth Lewis were wreaking havoc.
Lee Paxman was unlucky to find himself sin-binned, while flanker George Hinchliffe went off with a rib injury to be replaced by Ben Morrill, who had only been on the park six minutes when he burst over between the posts for try number three after another string of powerful drives from Huddersfield’s forwards.
And the next score quickly followed as almost from the re-start winger David Hall picked up a loose ball and spotted a gap which he quickly exploited to race away and upon reaching the full-back looked up to see Brown on his shoulder, and the lock bagged his first try on his return with an unchallenged run to the line, giving Johnson another simple conversion.
To their credit Kendal did manage to exert a short period of pressure to start the second half, and after several forward drives, were finally rewarded with a try when centre David Barton evaded the tackle of Johnson and full-back Tom Owen to go over for a consolation.
Huddersfield then made a raft of substitutions with Chris Duffy and Alex Battye coming on for Hinchliffe and Sanderson, while James Davies and Adam Sutcliffe replaced Stringwell and Adam Ryder as the coaching staff took the opportunity to give some game time to the entire squad.
The last 15 minutes was all Huddersfield with Sharpe getting his second touchdown before Clarke finished it off with an excellent solo effort as he backed himself on a great run to the line, leaving a host of defenders clutching at thin air.
Huddersfield: Owen; Ryder (Sutcliffe 60), Clark, L Paxman, Hall; Johnson, Hinchliffe (Duffy 60), Stringwell (Davies 60), Entressengle, Sanderson (Battye 56), Rhodes, Brown, Lewis, Hinchliff (Morrill 27), Sharpe.
Referee: Peter Brudenell (Harrogate).
