CAPTAIN James Gough scored a last gasp try to maintain Kendal's perfect start to the season in a close victory away at Wilmslow.

Wilmslow dominated much of the game but Kendal battled hard and pulled off their second win of the season in the dying embers of the North One West tie at the Memorial Ground.

Kendal were forced to re-organise the team that earned opening day spoils against Birkenhead Park as Leo Mercer was unavailable with his place taken by new signing Samoan Bob Mataia.

Tom Voke had picked up an injury in training and was replaced by Chris Downham, whilst Rhys Studt started in place of Matty Houghton and Jordan Johnson started the game with Alistair Thompson on the bench.

It was the away side who opened the scoring following a thundering break down the left touchline from Mataia which set up a position for Chris Park to kick over a penalty after two minutes.

The lead, however, was short lived after Wilmslow won their own kick off and set up camp in the Kendal twenty two, and finally after seven minutes, their forwards rolled over from a lineout for an unconverted try.

Wilmslow continued to dominate and after twenty five minutes extended their lead with a converted Max Harvey try.

With ten minutes of the half to play, Kendal made a double substitution with Alistair Thompson and Blake Robinson coming on for Jordan Johnson and James Thompson.

The referee found five minutes on injury time and Kendal reduced the deficit to four points when flanker Chris Downham made a long run to the line before passing off to Gough for his first of two tries.

Kendal re-took the lead through another Park penalty on the 51 minute but Mike Black restored Wilmslow's lead ten minutes later and Bob MacCullum converted as the home side claimed a 19 - 15 lead.

With time running out, penalties gave Kendal two lineouts in the Wilmslow twenty two, but the forwards could not secure clean ball. The second however was to lead to the winning score.

The ball shot out of the side of the Wilmslow scrum and Gough reacted quickly to gather the ball and scamper over for the try. Nathan Wooff put over the conversion to give Kendal a 22-19 lead heading into injury time.

The Wilmslow forwards came close to gathering their kick off again but crucially knocked on.

They then put the Kendal pack under pressure, as they ran the clock down, but Kendal held on for the win.