9:05am Friday 20th January 2006
By Dennis Aris
STRIKER Chris Ward, who arrived at Kendal with a big reputation but has been dogged with injury and poor form, finally delivered the goods on Tuesday night when he hit a hat-trick to take Town into the semi-finals of the United Co-op Lancashire Cup, writes Dennis Aris.
Ward struck once in the first half and twice in the second to thwart a lively Clitheroe side which troubled Kendal, but could not penetrate a defence which survived more by sheer determination that the smooth assurance they exhude when playing at their best.
A major factor in the victory was the restoration of captain Lee Ashcroft after missing a couple of games through a groin injury.
Ashcroft's ability to chase down the ball, hold it up and deliver it accurately made a noticeable difference up front while the reliable combination of adventurous full back Paul Rigby and the guile of veteran winger Peter Smith controlled the right flank from the outset.
Smith should have scored early on when played into space by Ward, but he skewed his shot just wide of the right upright.
On 25 minutes midfielder Paul Osborne, another Town player rapidly finding his touch after injury, split the Clitheroe defence with a superb ball through the centre and Ward was the epitome of coolness as he sidestepped round keeper Ross Melling and slotted the ball into the net.
Despite going a goal down Clitheroe enjoyed the bulk of possession for the remainder of the half and for the start of the second, a continual thorn in the Kendal side being former Kendal right winger James Sheppard who tormented Town's defence with quality centres and free-kicks, going close twice himself just before the break.
Stewart Shepherd headed against Town's bar as Bridge started the second half with determination and Ryan Salmon should have equalised, but lofted his shot from eight yards out.
Meanwhile Kendal's attacks were beginning to look more constructive and a major turning point then arrived as Bridge centre-half Jamie Squires was given a straight red card in the 71st minute for chopping Ashcroft down from behind.
Five minutes later Ashcroft gained revenge by chasing down a ball to the bye-line and punching a low drive through the depleted defence for onrushing Ward to score at the far post.
Ward then demonstrated his increasing confidence to the full in the 79th minute with a peach of a volley from 20 yards which sailed over the keeper and dipped under the bar.
Sheppard almost replied with a similar attempt, but home keeper James Salisbury made a fine one-handed tip over save.
That was game over and Town boss Tony Hesketh took the opportunity to give brief debuts to Under-18 squad left winger Aiden Caswell and newly-signed cover defender Craig Redhead, from Bootle.
How they rated: Salisbury 7, Rigby 7, Whittal-Williams 6, Taylor 6 (Redhead 5 from 81 minutes), Roberts 6; P. Smith 7 (McKenna 6 from 78 minutes), Osborne 7, Kilford 7, G. Smith 7 (Caswell 5 from 88 minutes); Ashcroft 8, Ward 8.
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