9:41am Friday 29th April 2005
By Dennis Aris
AT THE end of a match played with all the fervour of a cup final, Kendal found themselves still short of the single point needed to secure a place in the promotion play-offs, writes Dennis Aris.
Kendal Town 1 - Mossley 2...
An injury-time winner on Tuesday night from the hard-working visitors means that Tony Hesketh's men face an anxious 90 minutes in their last game of the season on Saturday.
In-form Mossley, who still must beat league leaders North Ferriby United to oust Kendal from sixth position, posed a threat throughout and almost took the lead in the eighth minute.
Speedy winger Adam Morning raced to the byeline and delivered a fine cross. Melford Knight should have scored from a free header but put the ball wide.
At the other end there was suspicion that Ricky Mercer's header was handled on the line, but the referee waved Town appeals away.
After Knight missed another header chance for Mossley, Town won a succession of corners as they appeared to be establishing a measure of control, The breakthrough came for Town in the 38th minute. Left-winger Ged Smith had strayed into the right half of the field where he picked up the ball and fed Lee Ashcroft. He flicked the ball neatly between the central defenders for David Foster to race on and hammer a low shot into the right- hand side of the net.
Early in the second half Town almost added a vital second goal, but Foster's shot was well-blocked by keeper Lee Bracey and Ashcroft's follow-up went over the bar.
Then disaster came as Leon Mike stormed into the right side of the Kendal penalty area and was clearly brought down by keeper Mark Thornley.
Thornley guessed wrong and dived to his right as Chris Downey buried his spot kick in the opposite corner for a 56th-minute equaliser.
Mossley knew that only a victory would serve their cause and the tension showed as a frantic, scrappy spell ensued with goal-line clearances at both ends and an increasing number of off-the-ball incidents.
Mossley's Paul Challinor was stretchered off with an injured leg in the 84th minute after a heavy collision and moments later Rhoori Giggs was red-carded after dissent to the referee.
As so often happens, 10-men Mossley then showed the greater passion and deep in added time won a free-kick on the edge of the Kendal box.
There was uproar both on the field and among the Mossley supporters as Leon Mike drove home the winner with virtually the last kick of the game.
How they rated: Thornley 6; McKenna 8, Mercer 6, McMenemy 6, Rigby 6; Woodruffe 7, Kilford 7; G. Smith 7, Ashcroft 8, Foster 7 (Byrne 5 from 79 min), P. Smith 6.
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