Kendal 32 (Tries: J Ladell 2, Coxon, M Tuhakaraina. Cons: P Tuhakaraina 3. Pens: Tuhakaraina 2). 

Hull 18 (Tries: Martinson, Pretorius, Murphy. Pen: Yates.)

Kendal continued their excellent start to the season with this win over Hull at Mint Bridge.

The home side had an excellent first half and established a 22-0 lead with three tries including a double from winger John Ladell. Prop Billy Coxon got the other and the boot of Patrick Tuhakaraina got the rest of the points.

In the third quarter Hull got back into it with tries from centre Dan Martinson and hooker Jean Pierre Pretorius and Jim Yates putting over a penalty goal.

Kendal had other ideas and scored 10 points of their own as Tuhakaraina put over a penalty goal and then converted a try from his brother Massey Tuhakaraina to make it 32-13 after 74 minutes.

A minute later the visitors did manage a third try as lock Chris Murphy went over to score but like the first two it went unconverted.     . 

New Brighton 11 (Try: Dean. Pens: Dean 2.). 

Huddersfield 13 (Tries: Johnson, Summers. Pen: Johnson.)

New Brighton’s nightmare start to the season continued as they went down to a narrow home defeat at the hands of Huddersfield.   

The home side took the lead with a 4^th minute penalty goal from Stephen Dean but the lead only last four minutes with scrum half Neil Summers going over for a Huddersfield try. The visitors went 8-3 ahead just after the half hour mark when fly half Chris Johnson put over a penalty goal and not long after went over for the second Huddersfield try and a 13-3 lead. Just before half time Dean pulled three points back for the home side.

In the second half it took till five minute from the end of time for the only score of the half as Dean went over for a try but could not add the conversion to draw the match.    

Penrith 16 (Try: Preston. Con: Jansen. Pens: Jansen 3.). 

Chester 10 (Try: Aldersey. Con: Francis. Pen: Francis.)

Penrith made it two out of two at home with this win over Chester.   

The games opening score came on 15 minutes with second row David Preston crossing the Chester line and Coenraad Jansen converted for 7-0. Three minutes later it was all square with winger Nick Aldersey getting the Chester try and Simon Francis converting and not long after kicking the visitors 10-7 in front with a penalty goal.

Jansen levelled the scores on 36 minutes and saw his side go in front at the break with another penalty two minutes later.

The only score of the second half came on the hour mark when Jansen put over his third penalty goal of the afternoon from four attempts. .  

Stockport 12 (Tries: Ralph, Marwick. Con: Chadwick.). 

Caldy 31 (Tries: Young, Coast, Mason, Ross. Con: Mason 4. Pen: Mason)

Report courtesy of Stockport.

By the end of 80 minutes on Saturday there weren’t left many at Headlands Road who didn’t think that the visitors, Caldy, would be at the head of the North 1 title race come next April. The look a very well rounded team.

As for the home side, Stockport, it was the first time they had suffered a home defeat for over a season but they have no grounds to lose self belief. That belief must be that with players returning from injury we will be a match for anyone.

The sun shone down throughout the game and during the first half it was very even affair.  The Stockport line out struggled at times but the set scrums were very steady. We saw glimpses of Caldy’s dangerous centre duo of Coast and Woof but it was their full back Chris Young who didn’t open the scoring until the 32nd minute when it made the most of missed clearance to touch and Simon Mason added the extra 2 for a 7-0 lead.

Stockport had fought and scrapped for everything during the 1^st half, Dave Holehouse looked as if he was enjoying his first outing of the season and made a good break that lead to the ball being kicked on towards the Caldy line but it rolled into touch rather than over the try line.

After 5 minutes of the second period Caldy stole a line out ball and it lead directly to Marcus Coast making an incisive run and scoring under the posts. Mason added the conversion for a 0-14 lead but Stockport again pushed over the next 15 minutes although at times it seemed to be a case of 2 steps forwards and 3 backwards. Mason extended the Caldy lead to 0-17 with a 25^th minute penalty. 2 minutes later came the cruellest blow against the home side. Caldy cleared to around the halfway line and Rob Wellock seemed to have the kick covered. The ball then appeared to defeat the laws of physics as it completely changed direction and bounced straight into the path of Craig Ross the visitor’s replacement wing. He ran in unopposed and Mason converted. 0-24.

Stockport just kept going forwards and it was only right that it was one of the hard working forwards who got on the score board for them. We drove through the forwards and Paul Ralph went over from close range. 5-24. Caldy continued the flurry of late scoring with their points machine Simon Mason bagging a try of his own and converting it for good measure. 5-31.

If fell to Stockport to finish the scoring. It was the try of the day and went to Stockport debutant Dave Marwick. Mike Raven went a break just into the Caldy 22 and got offload away to ‘Mazza’ who came storming through. Dave had to momentarily juggle the ball but then beat the fullback. Ben Chadwick rounded off the scoring with the conversion. 12-31.

For a Caldy view see below

Westoe 36 (Tries: .Smith, Bird, Bowyer, Hagen, Haswell, Tennant. Cons: D Haswell 3.). 

Birkenhead Park 18 (Tries: Hughes, Pennington. Con: Clarke. Pens: Clarke 2.)

Report courtesy of Birkenhead Park.

Birkenhead Park were well beaten by a powerful Westoe unit in South Shields but they produced a good second half performance after falling behind in the second quarter.

Park had the chance to open the scoring but Ben McPhearson hit the post with a penalty attempt and Greg Hughes went close after a good run down the wing. It was not until the 25^th minute that Westoe’s big forwards drove over from a line out with number eight Graham Smith touching down. Westoe repeated the exercise ten minutes later with second row Paul Bird touching down. There was further woe for the visitors just before half time when Park attempted to run out of defence but lost possession and Westoe pounced for a try by Dave Bowyer converted by Haswell. Westoe were 17-0 up at the break which was a harsh reflection on Park’s efforts.

Park then lost stand off McPhearson through injury early in the second half with Chris Saverimutto coming on at scrum half and Paul Kay taking the stand off role. Birkenhead looked set to score when Andy Clarke broke through but the referee had blown prematurely for a penalty and Park had to settle for three points as Clarke kicked the goal. Player coach Jon Sewell was then sent to the sin bin and Westoe took full advantage to score from the resulting penalty with winger Paul Hagan touching down and Haswell converting.  Clarke did pull three points back with a penalty but Westoe moved further ahead with a try and conversion by Haswell after 60 minutes.

Park were left to chase the game and to their credit came back well although Clarke missed a twice taken penalty. Good scrum pressure resulted in Park turning over possession and the ball was moved wide for Greg Hughes to score a good try. Park scored a second try when Dave Ibbotson made ground from a line out before centre Matt Pennington broke through three tackles to score with Clarke converting. It was a good come back effort but time ran out and Westoe had the last say with a late try by replacement hooker Peter Tennant.

There were a number of pluses for Park with Steven Dodd outstanding in the centre and Paul Kay adapting well to his emergency stand off role in the second half. Skipper Dave Ibbotson again led by example and the Park line out did well against a big Westoe pack.   

Beverley 34 (Tries:  Carney, Hancock, Worrell, Infield, Shaw. Cons: Kilgannon 3. Pen: Kilgannon.). 

Altrincham Kersal 12 (Tries: .)

Beverley made it two out of two at home this season with this comfortable win over Altrincham Kersal.   

Report courtesy of Caldy.

Caldy 1^st XV cemented top spot in the North 1 league with a comprehensive victory to make it three from three in the opening weeks.  Historically, the Memorial Ground Stockport has always proved a less than happy hunting ground for successive Caldy 1st XV’s.  Caldy pipped Stockport at the post two years ago, with promotion from North 2 West by the narrowest of margins and the games between the two clubs have taken on a ‘local derby’ feel.  This 12 - 31 victory was once again team a performance with four excellent tries augmented by the dependable boot of Simon Mason. Results elsewhere in the league all went in favour of the home sides with the exception of New Brighton who went down narrowly to Huddersfield.  Kendal remain the only other unbeaten team but with Caldy, having a superior points difference. Unlike the Cumbrian team, Caldy have achieved two of their wins on the road. Winning is a good habit to have but Caldy, at this stage of the season, will not make too much of the top of the league position other than the fact that the points are in the bag.  For Caldy, they will want to return to Paton Field next Saturday ready not to only repeat the result of the home game against Penrith but also recreate the atmosphere day when the Mini’s Juniors & Colts along with parents received invitations to come and see Caldy’s opening home game of the season.  It really was a great day and they will no doubt have gained some inspiration from the knowledge that 9 of the starting home team were products of the Caldy Mini & Junior Sections.  Not only did they get to see the team in action but on the following day the whole of the first team squad attended the mini’s training to assist in a skills coaching session.  No doubt that the players from U6 – U12 will have benefited greatly from this involvement of their Senior counterparts.  Caldy continues to place total emphasis on its ‘one club’ philosophy with every player being overseen by qualified, dedicated coaches and the parent of every U18 player being a member of Caldy RFC.  The announcement has already been confirmed by the RFU but a more formal presentation will come in the near future when Caldy will be the first Rugby Club in the Country to be awarded year 3 seal of approval by this scheme backed by Sport England.  The success of the 1^st team is important to the club however, Senior players and the Club Committee do not take lightly their responsibility to all of the members to maximise the potential of everyone to the benefit of the individual, the club, the area and the game of rugby.