Football -Promotion bid back from the brink (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football -Promotion bid back from the brink

11:49pm Monday 1st May 2006 in

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Kendal Town 1. Stocksbridge Park Steels 1. (Kendal won 4-2 on penalties after extra-time).

Kendal bounced back from Saturday's shattering disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion, by booking a place in the play-off finals via a penalty shoot-out against Stocksbridge Park Steels.

Town had home advantage for this May Day semi-final and generally controlled the match, but without creating clear cut goal-scoring openings.

Strikes on the post and crossbar were the best efforts from half-chances and Ian Kilford's rasping drive produced a fine save from the Steels keeper.

In the 72nd minute Kendal's cause looked lost when Nigel Taylor brought down Stefan Zoll just inside the area and the Stocksbridge keeper slammed the spot kick past Town keeper James Salisbury.

Kendal boss Tony Hesketh responded with a triple substitution and the introduction of experienced Peter Smith on the right wing immediately began to stretch the visitors.

In the 83rd minute a long ball across to the let wing found Ged Smith who settled on the ball then curled a superb equaliser just under the crossbar.

With minutes to go a Chris Ward header was miraculously hooked off the Stocksbridge line and the match went into extra time.

Kilford and Pete Smith continued to torment Stocksbridge down the right and Paul Osbourne headed onto the bar, but there was no further score and the match went to a penalty shoot-out.

Facing the large and hostile home crowd Zoll blasted the first spot kick over the top. Ged Smith, Ward and Peter Smith all netted comfortably. Ross Hannah and Ian McLean were on target for Steels, but Carl Smith blasted over.

Up stepped Russ McKenna to slam home for a 4-2 victory and the start of a celebratory pitch invasion.

Now, with the job half done Kendal will seek to attain UniBond League Premier Division status next Saturday when they entertain Gresley Rovers at the Planet Conservatories Stadium Parkside, in the play-off final.