Back to winning ways on the road: Ossett Albion 1-3 Kendal Town

Cut adrift at the foot of the table, Ossett held a half-time lead through Ryan Harrison before McGeechan and Danny Mitchley turned the game on its head as Wes Milnes saw red.

This result ends a six-game winless league run on the road for the Mintcakes since victory at Cammell Laird in September, with 20 goals conceded during that time and only six scored.

Two new signings made their Town debuts with goalkeeper Danny MacDonald and Callum Hoctor, signed from Lancaster City and Prescot Cables respectively, drafted into the starting line-up.

Left-winger Harrison issued an early warning for the visitors on five minutes, his volley narrowly missing Macdonald’s upright after being picked out by Ben Grech-Brooksbank.

In a scrappy opening, Coid headed a right-wing cross over the bar while Mitchley dragged an effort wide of the post after taking McGeechan’s pass in his stride.

However, Ossett – with only one home victory this season – opened the scoring on 21 minutes, the lively Harrison beating the offside trap to sweep past MacDonald left-footed.

Kendal created little during the opening period although both McGeechan and Mitchley had the ball in the net but were denied by the linesman’s offside flag.

At the other end, Adam Muller’s flicked header – comfortably claimed by MacDonald – from Patrick McGuire’s free-kick was as close as the home side came to doubling their lead.

The second-half was a different story as Kendal played with more intent and exerted greater authority to overturn their deficit and record a third away win of the season.

Shortly after the re-start, Ossett keeper Ryan Pugh claimed a low Mitchley shot from the left-hand side of the box before Town equalised on 51 minutes.

McGeechan’s pace allowed him to latch onto Coid’s lofted through ball and produce a lobbed finish over Pugh which found the net off the underside of the crossbar.

With Kendal in the ascendancy, Mitchley ghosted beyond a static backline only for his delicate finish to clip the outside of the post following Mike Rushton’s through-ball.

The decisive few moments of the match came after 65 minutes as Ossett centre-half Milnes received a second yellow card for a foul on McGeechan, with Kendal taking full advantage.

Coid found Mitchley from Rob Wilson’s short free-kick with the former Altrincham forward turning his marker and angling a drive across Pugh from the right corner of the box.

Zach Clark was deemed offside as he touched home a Mitchley free-kick before the away side extended their lead with 74 minutes on the clock.

McGeechan was again the man on the spot, firing home after Ross Lloyd’s right-wing cross was taken off the forehead of Mitchley by Ossett defender Tyrone Gay.
With the points seemingly in the bag, there was still time for Kendal to offer their hosts a way back into the game and set up an anxious final ten minutes.

However, after Rushton was judged to have brought down Danny Walsh in the box, MacDonald calmed visiting nerves with a penalty save on debut.

The ex-AFC Fylde stopper flung himself low to his right to deny substitute Caldon Henson – a recent signing from Radcliffe Borough.

Pugh prevented replacement Oli Mathieson scoring on his first league start while Hoctor and Coid missed late chances for the away side.

Kendal now have the opportunity to make it three Evo-Stik League Division One North wins in a row when lowly Radcliffe Borough visit Parkside Road on Saturday.

Ossett Albion: Ryan Pugh, Stefan Holt, Steve Nicholson, Danny Walsh (Dale Kelly 81) , Tyrone Gay, Wes Milnes, Patrick McGuire (Caldon Henson 73), Niall O’Brien, Adam Muller, Ben Grech-Brooksbank (Sam O’Neill 61), Ryan Harrison. Subs not used: Marc Thompson, Darol Lucas

Kendal Town: Danny MacDonald, Ross Lloyd, Callum Hoctor, Rob Wilson (Colin Watson 75), Will Bell, Kevin Brown, Mike Rushton (Oli Mathieson 85), Danny Coid, Danny Mitchley (Martin Grundy 83), Maison McGeechan, Zach Clark. Subs not used: Danny McGahon, Michael Stringfellow

Attendance: 66