A BREATH-taking try after three minutes made it a heady start for Kendal under the leadership of newly-appointed coach Neil Rollings, writes Richard Daniels.

Unfortunately they could not secure enough ball to consolidate the lead and the better organised Yorkshire visitors capitalised albeit with an efficient rather than emphatic display.

To appear the more actively creative side, put 20 well-deserved points on the scoreboard and still lose was a major disappointment.

How-ever the two-score discrep-ency should not detract too much from a performance of potential.

Disruption to Kendal's preparations rumbled on as Ian Voortman took over the captaincy when Adrian Bateson failed to pass a late fitness test on his knee.

Regular hooker Ian Gowing also pulled out because of a midweek training injury, forcing the pack to reshuffle.

It brought a baptism of fire for Kendal-born newcomer Duncan Green, who has playing with Dunedin in New Zealand, and replaced Gowing for his club bow.

Chronic lack of synchronisation at the lineout was the biggest problem, but Kendal failed to act promptly to hand the throwing duty to the more experienced Billy Coxon.

Changes will take time to bed in, however, and Kendal blooded five newcomers in the squad so it was unrealistic to expect a battle-hardened, faultless display.

Yet Kendal still looked capable of conjuring up an opening-day victory against a heavier and physically stronger Harrogate outfit.

Breaking out after early pressure in the third minute, Jason Balmer counter-attacked for Kendal with a break up the right side.

Good recycling made the ball available for Mike Scott to release Voortman and the backs swept away before Mike Capstick charged through on the burst.

He linked with Dan Stephens, who had come off his wing, and another newcomer full back Mike Armstrong was sent away to complete a flowing movement, with Scott adding the conversion.

It was a fine start but Harrogate's forwards were soon back threatening the home 22 and Kendal conceded a seventh-minute penalty for going offside in front of their posts.

Stand-off Lee Cholewa -Harrogate's mainspring whom Kendal should have policed more closely - kicked the points and he punished them again when he stepped inside his tackler to dart away.

He slipped but got a second bite of the cherry when scrum-half Rhys Morgan put him in the clear from 18 metres out, and he added the extras and then a penalty soon afterwards to put the visitors 13-7 ahead.

Kendal scavenged the ball well in the loose after 28 minutes for Scott to find time and space for a chip-kick to the corner flag which had Balmer in hot pursuit only to be tugged back.

Referee Richard Parker awarded the penalty try and Scott' s conversion from in front of the posts gave Kendal a narrow 14-13 lead.

Harrogate struck back just two minutes later.

Full back Ed Smithies broke through the middle and the forwards drove on before the ball was move out for flanker Mike Worden to force his way over in the tackle for a converted try.

In the closing minutes of the first half Kendal had to reorganise after Steve Healey went off with a knock.

Replacement Paul Dodds went on to the wing, with Stephens moving to full back and Armstrong switching to centre, but the side defence staunchly, with a bit of good fortune, to repel strong pressure.

South African-born, but an English passport holder, Shaun Renwick, replaced Colin Wolstenholme at the start of the second half and Kendal rallied as Scott kicked a penalty for offside to cut the deficit to three points.

Once again Harrogate cancelled out the score when a simple switch pass was opened a massive gap in the Kendal defence and centre Steve Hobson shot through for Harrogate's third converted try.

Kendal were losing a lot of turnover ball at the break-down by this stages and when Balmer made an elusive crossfield break, Harrogate snaffled it back.

When Dodds booted back a failed touch kick, Kendal threatened to score, but lost their own lineout ball again, and Harrogate's good luck continued when a charge-down fell back into their hands and Kendal prop Ian Thompson did well to force winger Jamie Barker into touch by the corner.

Another desperate kick by Dodds took Kendal back downfield and won a rare lineout to force a penalty in front of the posts.

With Harrogate reeling, Kendal surprisingly opted to go for goal rather than seek the seven-pointer.

Scott's successful kick left Harrogate still 27-20 ahead and they kept the ball well in the final 10 minutes.

Tired defending in stoppage-time allowed James Tapster to scuttle over in the left corner to magnify the final winning margin a bit harshly.