Lymm 21 Kendal 7

WITH a near full-strength squad on display, Lymm showed what they are capable of in both attack and defence on Saturday.

While a bonus point eluded them, they proved too much for opponents Kendal going forward in the first half before repelling them with almost complete success in the second.

With Northern Premier leaders Preston Grasshoppers starting to pull away, victory for the Crouchley Lane outfit allowed them to hold onto second place, one point clear of nearest rivals Hull.

Lymm started very brightly and did not have to wait long for their opening try.

Cormac Nolan gathered a clearing kick from the visitors and chipped to the left wing, where Ollie Higginson caught well and made ground before slipping an inside ball to Matty Hands.

The young prop then cantered home, with Nolan’s conversion hitting the target via the post.

A period of intense Kendal pressure then followed, but Lymm’s defence held out before they hit them with the perfect riposte.

They built patiently until scrum-half Andy Davies spotted a gap to sneak over the tryline, with Nolan again adding the extras.

After James Kimber had a try ruled out, Lymm eventually got over the line again when skipper Adam Bray claimed a loose lineout to set up position for Davies to slip a superb no-look pass for Tom Bray to dive over.

Nolan was on target once again to bring the half to a close with the hosts 21-0 to the good.

Kendal were on the front foot for most of the second half and did get a try back, but Lymm’s impressive defence ensured there was no further damage to their points difference.

Adam Fletcher’s side travel to Ilkley on Saturday, kick off 2.15pm.

Lymm: Gav Woods, Dan Horton, Matty Hand, Joe Watson, James Yates, Jake Ashall, Adam Bray, Ollie Higginson; Andy Davies, Scott Redfern; Ali Sutherland, James Kimber, Tom Bray, Rich McEvoy, Cormac Nolan. Subs: Aaron Rasheed, Sam Mullarkey, Tom Shard.

Vale of Lune 2nd 7 Lymm 2nd 22

IN what was billed as a “winner takes all” fixture, Lymm’s seconds triumphed at leaders Vale of Lune to leapfrog them and go top of the Cotton Traders Championship.

James Robinson and Toby Phillips crossed to give them a 10-point lead at the break before Jake Davies and Jorge Reynolds scored in the second half to earn them a memorable victory.

After a bright start from the visitors, Ollie Ashall’s superb turnover set them up inside the Vale 22 and they managed to retain possession.

From there, Rhys Jones weighted his kick perfectly behind the defence and Robinson won the race to touch down, with Jones off target from the kicking tee.

Vale attempted an immediate response, but Lymm remained resolute in defence before taking their chance at the other end.

An excellent first-phase move from a 20-metre scrum saw winger Josh Hamer deliver the final pass for Phillips, whose pace took him over in the corner.

Lymm maintained their momentum after the restart and once again, Jones’ kicking from hand was causing problems for the hosts.

After some good drives from the forwards, Jones got his hands on the ball and found the perfect kick again, with Davies the beneficiary for a try Jones this time managed to convert.

More slick handling got Lymm across the line again, with Kieran O’Callaghan slipping the final pass to Reynolds, who chipped ahead and won the foot race to the ball to touch down.

The Lymm scrum came under pressure in the final 10 minutes after Alex Stewart was sin-binned, and Vale were finally rewarded with a penalty try with three minutes remaining.

While the hosts may have had the final word, it was most definitely Lymm’s day.

They are not in action this weekend, with their next game coming on February 17 when they host Rochdale.

Lymm: Askew, Pitcher, O’Callaghan, Baldwin, Coates, Stewart, Richards, Young; Baker, Jones; Jake Davies, Robinson, Josh Davies, Hamer, Phillips. Sub: Reynolds.

OTHER RESULTS:

Village Spartans 76 Lymm 3rd 5.

Lymm 4th 46 Linley and Kidsgrove 2nd 15.