12:15am Wednesday 18th January 2006
By Dennis Aris
Kendal Town 3, Bamber Bridge 0.
Sriker Chris Ward's first hat-trick for Kendal Town propelled the side into the semi-finals of the United Co-op Lancashire Cup last night.
Opportunist Ward benefited from good supply first from a defence splitting pass by midfielder Paul Osborne then from a ball squared across the six-yard box by hard-working captain Lee Ashcroft to twice get behind the Bamber Bridge defence.
He then displayed his increasing confidence by completed his hat-trick with a volley which dipped over the keeper from just outside the penalty area.
It was Ward's finishing which was essential the difference between the two sides with Bridge winger James Sheppard, a former Kendal star, causing a host of problems for Town's defence which survived unscathed thanks more to determined than assurance.
In a match peppered with yellow cards a turning point came with Bridge 1-0 down, but fighting for an equaliser only for centre-half Jamie Squires to be shown a straight red card for hacking Ashcroft down from behind.
Now manager Tony Hesketh hopes to draw his former club, Conference League North outfit Lancaster City in a high-profile semi-final.
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