Stockport played an excellent game at home to beat close rivals Kendal by 55-15 with what is probably the best forward performance your reporter has ever seen by a Stockport pack. The results of good training and a positive approach by the coaches and good attendance by the players is clearly paying dividends. Leading by example forward coach Tom Mantell got the scoring under way in the 3rd minute but this was a real team effort. The forwards carried powerfully and effectively, continually making holes in the Kendal defence, allowing the backs to make some good runs. The champagne moment of the game came in the final minutes as skipper Rory Austin got the ball behind his own line and ran the full 100 metres, beating every Kendal defender to score Stockport’s eighth try and with Ewan Holt converting six of them and kicking a penalty despite the strong wind the impressive victory was completed. Stockport dominated the game and were in the Kendal half for most of it. Kendal were not able to take advantage of the strong wind in the second half, despite scoring in the opening minutes of the half to get back to 26-15. This was due to the pressure the Stockport backs put on Kendal when they tried to run the ball and good fielding of the ball by the Stockport back 3 as Kendal tried to kick for territory. With the 2nd team beating Kendal seconds by 58-0 and the 3rd XV winning away at Didsbury TocH it was a clean sweep for the club. The first team are now well placed with 11 wins out of 11 and only 2 games to go to complete the first half of the season. Before the game all players from both clubs 1st and 2nd teams stood for a minutes silence in memory of club stalwart David Oldham, who passed away after the game agains

Stockport immediately produced some strong driving play to give Mantell his try after only 3 minutes. Simon Green controlled the ball well at the base of a scrum drive from 5 metres to score his first try, Holt converted and Stockport were 12 points up after 15 minutes. More pressure created an opportunity for wing Richard Sackville-West as he came at speed to take a pass and force his way over, Holt was on target for 19-0. A clearance kick from the restart was charged down by Kendal and they gathered the loose ball to score totally against the run of play, there was no conversion 19-5. Kendal followed up with a penalty for hands in a ruck to go to 19-8, with only 10 minutes of the half to go. Knowing the strong wind would favour the visitors in the second half spectators wondered if the margin was going to be enough. More Stockport pressure and a yellow card for the Kendal no 6 gave the Stockport pack several chances to drive scrums over and Austin scored his first try as he darted over to save Kendal the embarrassment of a penalty try. Holt was on target to make it 26-8 at the break.

Kendal started the second half strongly and when they scored just 3 minutes in with the No 7 bouncing off a tackle to go under the posts, concern about wind advantage remained with the score at 26-15. But that was the last time Kendal seriously threatened until the minutes before Austin’s wonder try at the end of the game. Green scored his second after yet another great forward effort for 31-15 before Holt converted a penalty to give more breathing space. Ed Poulson produced a 40 metre run as he collected the kick off and after Green had taken it on the backs received the ball and a well judged grubber by full back Callum Owen allowed wing Jack Martin to touch down, Holt was on target yet again despite the wind and it was 41-15. Stockport had to defend well as Kendal went through several phases in the Stockport 22 but the defence forced a knock on. Now looking every bit a good side Stockport built up the pressure and Green scored his 3rd try, Holt converted for 48-15. With Kendal again on the attack and the end within minutes it looked like Stockport would miss out on 50 points until Austin stepped up for that final run in from 100 metres.

Austin and second row Ceilin Mallon ran a marathon on Sunday to raise money for the Movember Charity, what an effort after playing 80 minutes on Saturday.

Next week is another home game against bottom of the table Douglas IOM with an early kick off.