WHILE Danny Mitchley took centre stage with his headline-grabbing hat-trick on Saturday, Kendal boss Dave Foster is keen to point to the qualities of returning forward Sefton Gonzales.

The strike duo were partnered up front during Kendal’s best run of form this season, and when pitched together from the start of games the partnership has amassed 12 goals.

After a brief spell with Clitheroe, Gonzales returned to score his fourth goal of the campaign against Mossley at the weekend, with Foster encouraged by the attacking options at his disposal.

“I didn’t want Sefton to leave when I took over but he did and he is someone I definitely wanted back at the club,” he said.

“He gives us a different dimension – he has height and looks after the ball well. I’m delighted he got his goal on Saturday as he worked very hard.

“He’s a bit short of match fitness but he does offer us an additional attacking edge, he and Mitch gave Mossley’s back four a really tough time and it’s great to have both players back.

“Mitch is a quality player and has an all-round game which is not limited to finishing – he has great desire and when the ball goes up to him it sticks

“He and Sefton linked well at the start of the season but we have three or four striking options now as Mike Rushton and Maison McGeechan have done well up front in recent weeks.”

Gonzales was absent on Tuesday as Kendal crashed out the FA Lancashire Challenge Trophy at the hands of AFC Darwen, while Mitchley only played the final nine minutes.

But the sense of relief after Saturday’s nail-biting victory over Mossley – only an eighth point from the last 36 on offer – was clear, with Foster insistent it should have been far easier.

“The game should have been over at half-time, we had enough chances to be four or five up at the break allowing us to come out relaxed in the second period,” he added.

“We got 4-1 up and needed to close the game out but we didn’t, we failed to get hold of the ball well enough allowing Mossley to get high up the pitch.

“When they switched the system to three at the back we should have been threading balls down the side but for some reason we didn’t do that.

“And if you allow teams to load balls into the box and get around the bits and pieces there will always be a problem.

“There are definitely some lessons to learn but I was delighted to get three points although it took a while for my heart-rate to come down.”

The Mintcakes face bottom of the table Ossett Albion this weekend, with Foster hopeful Kendal’s injury list may have eased further ahead of the trip to West Yorkshire.

“Ricky Mercer has had a good week on the rehab front and isn’t too far away, with Warren Beattie in the same category,” he said.

“We’re getting bodies back now and getting a few new faces in which is giving everyone at the club a lift.”