Lymm 18 Kendal 14

A CONVERTED try from Cormac Nolan sealed a nail-biting victory for Lymm in National Division Three North.

Trailing 14-11, Lymm benefited from Kendal being reduced to 14 men for a high tackle.

Although Nolan could not find the distance kicking into the cold wind, newcomer Ali Sutherland and winger Joe Denman combined to win the ball back for the home side.

Lymm set up their counter attack and a deft pass from Andy Davis found Tom Bray on an excellent line.

He took full advantage of a three-on-one overlap down the left hand side and his pass found Nolan, who chipped the ball forward and retrieved to score.

Nolan’s outstanding conversion from the wing into the wind made sure Kendal would need to score a try to take the spoils and that was beyond them in a tense finale.

Lymm’s pack men battled ferociously against bigger opponents, while Nolan relished his role at full-back as he and his former colts colleague Tom Shard at scrum half kicked astutely throughout.

In the end the two penalties scored by the hosts, courtesy of Nolan, and turned down by Kendal proved to be the difference.

A fine move created space for centre Rich McEvoy to score Lymm’s other try as they fought back from 7-0 behind in the first period.

The win sees Lymm leapfrog Kendal into their customary seventh place, and face sixth placed Billingham in their next match on Saturday, January 28.

Lymm: Dan Horton, Adam Bray, Jordan Widdrington, Joe Watson, Will Baldwin, Jake Ashall, Ali Sutherland, Oli Higginson, Tom Shard, Andy Davis, Lucas Titherington, Tom Bray, Richard McEvoy, Joe Denman, Cormac Nolan. Subs: James Yates, Will Titherington, Zak Lythgoe.

Other results: Marple 2nd 17 Lymm 3rd 59, Acton Nomads 0 Lymm 4th 52.

On Saturday, Lymm’s seconds host Preston Grasshoppers’ thirds while the fourths entertain Eagle’s seconds, both games kicking off at 2.15pm.