Burscough 2 - 2 Kendal

A DANNY Forbes double ensured Kendal and Burscough had a share of the spoils in an entertaining four goal affair at Mart Lane on Tuesday night.

A fortuitous Forbes goal broke the deadlock just after the restart but Kendal were pegged back almost immediately and found themselves trailing just five minutes later.

Forbes, who started in place of Australia-bound Maison McGeechan, grabbed an equaliser with 33 minutes left on the clock but the Mintcakes did not capitalise on a number of chances to find a winner and were forced to settle for their fifth draw of the season from nine games.

Caretaker boss Michael Stringfellow made just one change to the side that beat Radcliffe Borough on Saturday with Forbes in for McGeechan while skipper Warren Beattie kept his place in the heart of defence despite Ricky Mercer being available for selection.

The opening fifteen minutes was unsettled as both sides played their way into the game.
It took 15 minutes before Kieran Pickup fired the first shot at goal - landing tamely onto the roof of Tim Horn's net.

Burscough centre half Nicholas Ryan had the home side's first attempt at goal but his header from a deep set-piece landed wide of Danny MacDonald's left hand post before Mark Beesley's dipping volley sailed harmlessly over.

Forbes just failed to connect with a Lydon Hodgkiss cross and Burscough's Jordan Williams fired wide from 25 yards as the sides entered the tunnel goalless at half-time.

The game sprung into life in a manic five minutes following the restart.

First, Forbes opened the scoring with just one minute gone. He picked up the ball in midfield and exchanged a pass with Craig Carney - who played a chipped ball towards goal. 

Speedy Forbes looked to be pulling the trigger when right back Joe Camozzi slid in but the ball deflected off the Kendal man's shin and looped over the hapless Horn into the net.

But the lead only lasted two minutes. Left-winger Williams was given time and space just outside the penalty box and he calmly curled the ball into the top left - leaving MacDonald rooted.

It got worse for Kendal just two minutes later when a speculative looking Ryan Schofield cross from the left was headed into his own net by Rory Winters.

Kendal responded well to going behind and took just fifteen minutes to restore parity. A Kieran Walmsley corner found its way out to Pickup on the edge of the box.

The former Padiham striker fired at goal and the shot looked to be heading wide before it was turned in from six yards by a waiting Forbes to grab his second goal of the game.

The away side looked the more likely to snatch all three points but missed two glorious chances in the space of two minutes.

First Carney fired wide on the stretch then Pickup directed a header wide from six yards.

A sloppy MacDonald goal kick led to chances for Burscough but their attackers failed to take advantage before substitute Mercer had a late penalty claim turned down by referee Paul Ince.