DEFENSIVE lynchpin Kevin Brown believes Kendal may well have faced the league’s most potent attacking force during their 5-1 loss to Darlington 1883.

Amar Purewal and Stephen Thompson both netted for the Quakers on Saturday and together with David Dowson the forward trio have plundered 44 league goals so far this season.

While the appalling weather conditions made playing difficult for all concerned, Brown still insists there are few clubs in the league with a frontline as dangerous as Martin Gray’s side.

“Darlington have quality up front and some good centre forwards with clever movement and good touches which showed in the end,” he said.

“I have played against Thommo (Stephen Thompson) a few times and he is a really intelligent footballer with great technique.

“He is a clever lad and their number ten Amar Purewal had pretty good movement as well.

“It’s hard to determine exactly how good players are on a pitch like that as it can become a bit of a leveller, but they are definitely up there with the league’s best strikers.

“But I have never ever played in conditions like that, they were unbelievable – the driving wind, rain and pitch itself made it so difficult and things worsened as it went on.”

Playing with the wind, Kendal were comfortable for the majority of the opening period but only had Warren Beattie’s spot-kick in the bank by the time Purewal levelled matters.

And although the Mintcakes were able to shackle Darlington before the break, Brown points to Kendal not making in the most of their first-half advantage as a reason for defeat.

“We had a couple of chances to capitalise in the first-half and move towards the half-time period a couple of goals ahead,” he added.

“The killer blow of course was the equaliser, one of the only chances they had in the half and it took a bit out of us.

“We re-grouped and had a few more opportunities to get ahead but unfortunately went in level at half-time.

“Later on we changed the formation and went three at the back to try and get something from the game which we had to do – we weren’t going to just accept defeat.

“But in the end that led to a few more gaps which they exploited.”

After suffering injury towards the end of last season, Brown returned to Parkside Road in November following a period of time away from the game

And despite his involvement being interrupted by little niggles, the 27-year-old believes his fitness is improving and heading in the right direction.

“It has been a bit stop-start with the fixtures we’ve had cancelled in the last month or so,” he said.

“But that has given me the chance to get back into training and try and catch up with the lads after missing pre-season.

“The physios at the club are absolutely excellent, David Rhodes and the gang are really working with the lads to try and get us right for games. I seem to be doing ok.”