Football – Bitter disappointment as automatic promotion place is snatched away. (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football – Bitter disappointment as automatic promotion place is snatched away.

6:22pm Saturday 29th April 2006 in

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Kendal Town 1, Shepshed Dynamo 2.

Expected celebration turned to bitter despair for Kendal Town as both the UniBond League First Division championship and automatic promotion as runner-up were snatched away from them in another disappointing home performance.

With leaders Mossley losing at Gresley a win would have landed the title for Town and even a draw would have secured second place, but with at least a dozen good goal-scoring chances squandered and two defensive errors led to a 2-1 victory for Shepshed Dynamo.

Even that could have been enough, except that Fleetwood Town banged in five goals against Brigg to draw level on point with Kendal, while wiping out a four-goal deficit to sneak second place by one goal on goal difference.

It was a bitter blow for Kendal in front of a bumper crowd and the opening exchanges gave no reason to suggest that they would be denied a celebration.

Then disaster struck as a rebounded from defender Ricky Mercer and left Anthony Howell clear to smash the ball home.

Even when partially fit captain Ashcroft limped off after half-an-hour, Kendal continued to control the game half-time news that Mossley were losing and Fleetwood being held to a 1-1 gave cause for optimism.

In the second half immense Kendal pressure made an equaliser look inevitable then in the 78th minute Thomas escaped marker Nigel Taylor and had a clear run on goal to make it 2-0 from 12 yards.

More bad news was also coming in that the goals were flying in at Fleetwood. In injury time substitute Peter Smith finally made the breakthrough, controlling a long through ball and chipping it neatly past the keeper, but simultaneously the news came though that Fleetwood had won 5-1 up and time had run out on Kendal's bid for glory.

Now Tony Hesketh has 48-hour to motivate his dejected squad who now have a home match against Stocksbridge Park Steels on Monday (3pm) in the play-off semi-finals.

If Town survive that hurdle they will be at home next Saturday to face either Woodley Sports or Gresley Rovers in the play-off final.