North Premier: Kendal 14 Ilkley 34

BOTH sides were seeking a victory that would mean a seventh-placed finish in North Premier. but Rhys Morgan's visitors always looked the sharper, with only a marginal forward pass preventing a try for Tom Milner after Ben Magee had made the first of several break-outs.

But, just like the previous week's win at Lymm, it was the hosts who scored first, with the try for strong-running right wing Kris Bratton coming from a textbook backs move.

A well-struck conversion by full back Chris Park made it 7-0, but the lead only lasted five minutes as Charles Morgan made good ground after an exquisite dummy before Pat Power scored a converted try under the posts.

Despite a tendency to lose line-outs, Ilkley went ahead when Magee and the tireless Ollie Hotham combined to allow Josh Hall to outpace his opposite number on the right wing.

Park and Morgan then both missed penalties, the latter’s being awarded when lock John Dervey saw yellow for over-zealous use of the boot.

Kendal continued to kick the ball towards Ilkley's back three, who didn’t put a foot wrong in the fielding department all afternoon, and the visitors' third try arrived after Magee and Pat Atkinson counter-attacked before great inter-passing put J-H Johnson over under the posts to make it 19-7.

Ilkley’s bonus-point try followed shortly after.

Kendal were penalised for a high tackle, Morgan kicked for touch, the line-out was won and Milner took a great pass to go in under the posts, although amazingly the conversion was missed.

The second half very much mirrored the second half against Lymm, with Kendal opting for driving mauls down the middle.

Magee slotted an early penalty, awarded for not rolling away, but Ilkley's defence, who were immense, had to show their mettle.

The pressure finally told after a breakdown in communications at the base of a scrum, with Dervy scoring and Park adding a superb conversion to make it 27-14.

But then Ilkley took advantage of a solid line-out, controlled phases and a sublime pass by Charles Morgan off his left hand putting Hall in for his second try, with Magee converting.

The visitors' front five of front row Josh Cockerham, Harry Wales and Hotham and young locks Pete Erskine and Matt Burke then took control, aided by the tackling o back-rowers Joe Lowes, Johnson and Power.