KENDAL Town slumped to their second consecutive defeat in 2018 after losing 2-1 to relegation threatened Brighouse Town at The ST&B Accountants Stadium.

Kendal, who are now seven points above the relegation places, went into the game desperate for the points against a team that were second from bottom in the table.

Aaron Martin's header five minutes before half time edged the visitors in front before Brighouse made it 2-0 after 61 minutes when Callum Robinson scored from close range.

Kendal pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time when Ben Thomas’s free kick fell into the top corner of the net, but Brighouse held onto pick up the three points.

Brighouse created the first opportunity after 10 minutes when Aidan Kirkby curled the ball wide from close range.

Kendal offered little threat in front of goal with Connor Gaul's tame free kick and Thomas’s close range strike providing few struggles for visiting goalkeeper Christopher Butt.

The visitors dominated possession while a succession of corners saw Kendal's defence under intense pressure.

Brighouse opened the scoring after 40 minutes when a deep corner in from the left was powerfully headed into the net by Martin.

Kendal were almost further behind on the stroke of half time when Kirkby dispossessed one of the Kendal defenders before firing into the side netting.

The visitors made a positive start to the second half while Kirkby tested Will Kitchen in the Kendal goal, before a further flurry of corners penned the Mintcakes in their own box.

Brighouse doubled their lead after 61 minutes when a cross into the box deflected off the post before Robinson tapped home the rebound.

It could have been worse for Kendal when Thomas Haigh blazed over the bar after going clean through on goal while Kitchen did well to deny Kirkby, whose powerful strike was saved by the former Morecambe shot stopper.

Kendal pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time when Thomas blasted a free kick into the top corner of the net, but with very little time left Brighouse closed out the final two minutes of stoppage time.

The Mintcakes travel to play promotion-chasing Scarborough Athletic on Saturday.

Kendal Town Line Up: 1, Kitchen, 2, Aspin, 3, Thomas, 4, Penswick, 5, McDonald, 6, Davies, 7, McGahon, 8, Grundy, 9, Wood, 10, Gaul, 11, Clarke.

Substitutes: 11, Bowman, 14, Dawson, 15, Seear, GK, Newton.