Kendal 9 Preston Grasshoppers 29: Hoppers took time to come to terms with the heavy conditions but a crucial yellow card and a strong second half performance saw them home with a bonus point.

Hoppers started hesitantly when hooker Richie Sands was penalised for delaying his throw-in and Kendal went ahead with a penalty from fullback Chris Park.

Two minutes later, Olly Viney showed his pace but a poor pass to debutant wing Phil Meadwell denied the visitors a try.

The home pack adopted their favoured tactic of the rolling maul but Paul Bailey kicked his side level with a penalty in the 13th minute. Kendal continued to play the conditions better although their backs lacked penetration and it was Park who regained the lead with a second penalty on 22 minutes followed by another four minutes later. As half time approached, Hoppers at last found some cohesion and the pack capitalised on Anton Cramant's lineout steal to set up an attacking platform.

Home flanker Bright was yellow carded for foiling a drive for the line illegally and Hoppers opted for the scrum.

The under strength Cumbrian pack collapsed and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try. Bailey's conversion gave Hoppers a hardly-deserved one point advantage at the break.

Hoppers continued to exploit their numerical advantage and, after some strong driving from the back row, Bailey dummied over and converted in the 43rd minute. Three minutes later, a break by Stuart Wilson was carried on by Rich Morton whose deft pass around a defender put Meadwell in via Viney but Bailey's kick failed.

The next 10 minutes were all Hoppers and the home defence did well to keep their line intact. But, after 62 minutes, the siege was lifted and the visitors' defence was tested, while a try opportunity was squandered.

Hoppers brought on substitutes only for replacement centre Matt Naddeo to be sin-binned minutes after arriving on the field.

But, just as a bonus point seemed to be eluding them again, scrum half Darren Wilson broke from the base of a scrum and his perfectly timed pass put Owen McKenna in unopposed for Bailey to convert.

Hoppers remain third in the table and host New Brighton on Saturday.