Football – Last minute equaliser saves unbeaten record (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football – Last minute equaliser saves unbeaten record

9:23am Tuesday 3rd January 2006 in

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Kendal Town 1, Eastwood Town 1.

FOUR minutes into injury time a 35-yard Ged Smith free-kick salvaged an unlikely point for Kendal Town.

The kick soared through the fog to beat everyone in the crowded penalty area to d8isappoint Eastwood Town who had outplayed Kendal for most of this UniBond League First Division match.

Makeshift Kendal were without top goalscorer Lee Ashcroft , suspended Paul Sparrow and Russ McKenna and injured midfielders Stuart Cliff and Ricky Mercer and it showed as Eastwood ruled the first half hour and should have been further ahead than Peter Knox's solo run and strike in the 29th minute.

In the second half the home side enjoyed slightly better possession, but seemed lacking in inventiveness in dealing with the solid Eastwood defence.

With 10 minutes to go Tony Hesketh chose all out attack, replacing central defender Nigel Taylor with right winger John Osborne and opting for a back three. Almost immediately Ged Smith lashed a square pass from Foster goalwards forcing a good save from Bryant.

From a free-kick just outside the Eastwood box in the 88th minute Ged Smith smashed a shot low round against the post.

Then in the final minute came Smith's somewhat fortuitous equaliser.

Town will need to improve dramatically for next Saturday's home tie in the Lancashire Cup quarter-finals with Runcorn, but Ashcroft should be fit to make his return.