Kendal Rugby Union Football Club staged a remarkable second-half recovery at Mint Bridge but were denied victory by a late Macclesfield try in a 35-29 Regional 1 North West defeat on Saturday 3 October 2026.
The result was particularly frustrating for Kendal because the home side had trailed 21-5 early in the match, then fought back to take a 29-28 lead with 10 minutes remaining. Macclesfield responded with a try from number eight Joseph Bunting and a conversion by replacement William Davies before defending their narrow advantage through the closing stages.
The match was Kendal’s first league appearance at Mint Bridge for six months. The club’s previous home league fixture had been against Harrogate at the end of March. The return followed a heavy defeat at Stockport the previous weekend, but the match report said the performance against Macclesfield contained many positives, particularly from a young squad strengthened by new recruits.
Macclesfield punish early mistakes
The opening exchanges were even, but Kendal fell behind after five minutes. A lineout in the Macclesfield half gave the home side possession, only for Macclesfield captain and centre Harry Blackwell to anticipate a pass and intercept. He ran in for the opening try, which right wing Thomas Jennings converted to make it 7-0.
Macclesfield extended their lead five minutes later after another error by Kendal. A kick was knocked on, allowing the visitors to build pressure from a scrum and subsequent lineout. After several opportunities to finish the move, Macclesfield eventually created enough space for wing Tomas Jennings to cross. He converted his own try, leaving Kendal 14-0 down after 10 minutes.
Kendal finally responded after Macclesfield made a handling mistake. Aaron Stephens gathered the loose ball and it was moved to Ben Dixon, who kicked ahead and chased. Kendal were beaten to the ball but another Macclesfield error gave the home side a scrum. The expected No.8 pick-up followed, and Patrick Wolstenholme’s pace took him over almost unopposed. Stephens could not add the conversion, making the score 14-5.
Any momentum Kendal had gained disappeared immediately. The home side took too long to return to the restart, allowing Ollie Rose’s kick to be charged down. Macclesfield left wing Billy Birkett collected the loose ball and scored, with Jennings converting for 21-5.
Kendal appeared to have pulled back another try when Ben O’Halloran powered over the line, but the referee ruled that he had lost possession while being tackled. The next attack did produce points. Macclesfield had been penalised repeatedly for high tackles, and after Stephens kicked to touch and Kendal won the lineout, the home pack drove towards the line before the ball was moved to left wing Liam Barr. Barr scored, although Stephens’ conversion attempt bounced back off the post.
Bradshaw try keeps Kendal in touch
Macclesfield’s repeated high tackles eventually led to a yellow card for back row Philip Laing after half an hour. Kendal kicked the penalty to touch and won the resulting lineout. Instead of moving the ball across the backline, Rose sent a long, flat pass to Alfie Bradshaw, who crossed under the posts. The conversion was missed, leaving Kendal 15-29 behind.
Kendal made two changes during that period, with Joe Anderson and Dylan Douglas replacing Finn Kennedy and Toby Merrick. The extra player did not produce another score before the interval, however, and Laing returned before half-time. Macclesfield therefore led 29-15 at the break.
The home team dominated the early stages of the second half but struggled to turn pressure into points. Several promising moves ended with passes being knocked on or possession being lost in strong defensive tackles. A deliberate knock-on stopped another Kendal attack on the line. The referee initially took no further action, but when it happened again fullback Daniel Leake was shown a yellow card. No penalty try was awarded because the referee decided the offence had not prevented a try.
Kendal made the pressure count from the following lineout. The ball was won and the pack drove towards the line, with hooker Angus Knight credited with the try. Stephens converted to reduce Macclesfield’s advantage to six points at 28-22.
Kendal take the lead before late defeat
Five minutes later, with 10 minutes left to play, Kendal moved in front for the first time. Macclesfield conceded another penalty, and Kendal kicked to touch. The lineout was won, Macclesfield offended again and, from a second lineout, the Kendal pack once more rumbled towards the line. Knight was again credited with the try and Stephens converted, putting Kendal 29-28 ahead.
Macclesfield then produced the decisive response. The visitors put a kick towards the Kendal line, but the ball was mis-fielded and had to be touched down, giving Macclesfield a scrum close to the line. Although they were one point behind, Macclesfield chose not to take the penalty kick and instead gambled on another scrum.
The decision paid off. Their number eight, Joseph Bunting, crossed for the try and William Davies converted to restore a 35-29 lead with five minutes remaining.
Kendal continued to search for a winning score. Several players broke through but were chased down before they could release the ball. The report also described a series of Macclesfield stoppages, including apparent “injuries”, which allowed the visitors to slow the match and recover during the final minutes.
In added time, Knight made another significant contribution, breaking down the left wing and reaching the Macclesfield 22. A following Kendal player then conceded a penalty, ending the attack. The kick went to touch, Kendal won the lineout and put the ball into touch again, bringing the match to an end.
Positive signs despite table position
The defeat left Kendal 10th in the league table, while Macclesfield moved into fourth. The match was the 15th meeting between the clubs since their first encounter in 2003. Macclesfield had previously held the advantage, having lost only once and drawn once against Kendal in those meetings.
The visitors had won the league three seasons earlier before spending a difficult season in the West Country in National League Two South. They returned north and finished third last season, but were subsequently demoted after a proposed return to the South was rejected. Much of that squad then moved to higher-level opportunities, leaving Macclesfield with a new-look team that had nevertheless beaten newcomers Dronfield the previous weekend.
Kendal’s report said the home side could have won convincingly without the errors that allowed Macclesfield to score, while also describing the performance as a considerable improvement on last season. It said the new-look team had more to come as it bonded, with Knight and Kennedy appearing to be strong additions alongside younger players who had progressed through the Colts.
Knight was named Man of the Match after scoring twice and making the late break that might have created a match-winning opportunity. Bradshaw and Wolstenholme were just behind him, while 12 Kendal players received votes, which the club said reflected a genuine team effort.
Kendal were scheduled to return to Mint Bridge the following weekend for the rearranged fixture against Leek. Leek went into that match after a narrow away win against promoted Vale of Lune.