Bamber Bridge 3 - 2 Kendal Town

JORDAN Connerton made a goalscoring return to Kendal Town but his first-half strike was not enough as the Mintcakes slipped to their third straight defeat in the league and cup away at Bamber Bridge.

Connerton, who has been plying his trade in Australia for Doncaster Rovers since leaving Lancaster City in April, signed for Kendal for the fourth time in five years last week and made his mark with an early opener.

But two goals in the space of five minutes before the break, including one from ex-Kendal hitman Darren Green, turned the game on its head.

Substitute Stuart Vasey looked to have secured the points for the Sir Tom Finney Stadium outfit and while a late Kieran Pickup tap-in ensured a nervy ending it was Bamber Bridge who held on to pick up their third home win of the season.

Manager Michael Stringfellow made three changes to the side that were dumped out of the FA Trophy by Northwich Victoria last weekend.

Danny MacDonald was back in between the sticks in place of Tom Stewart, Connerton came in for the unavailable Nick Rogan and Danny Forbes replaced Rob Wilson, who has headed travelling Down Under until January, in midfield.

Starting in central midfield for Bamber Bridge was former Preston North End skipper Paul McKenna, who made 425 apps scoring 30 goals for the Lilywhites.

A minutes' silence was observed before kick-off for 15-year-old Melissa Smith, who was playing for Cadley FC in Euxton, Chorley, last weekend when she collapsed on the pitch and later died in hospital.

It was a cagey opening ten minutes as both teams looked to suss each other out but 25-year-old Connerton broke the deadlock for the visitors in their first attack.

Craig Carney was released behind the back four but his stretched effort was blocked by Harry Campbell, who signed for Bamber Bridge on-loan from Bolton Wanderers last week, on the edge of his box.

The ball fell kindly to Connerton who calmly took a touch before prodding home into an empty net from 15 yards to give the Mintcakes the perfect start.

Chris Marlow skewed Bamber Bridge's first effort over before the visitors had three chances in quick succession to double their advantage.

First Connerton collected the ball on the left-wing and exchanged a neat one-two with Forbes. The former Crewe striker drove past two defenders but his low drilled shot was saved comfortably by Campbell.

And then Carney failed to find Connerton in space before the latter's volley was deflected wide as Kendal piled on the pressure.

The home side then began to seize control of the match, mainly down to the experience of McKenna. Green fired a volley wide on 32 minutes before his left-footed curling effort sailed over.

The game was then turned on its head on 42 minutes with two quick goals.

A deep cross from the left found Alistair Waddecar and after his half- volley rebounded off the post Green was in the right place at the right time to nod home an equaliser.

Bamber took the lead in the dying embers of the first 45 minutes through Chris Marlow.

Waddecar skipped past left-back Lydon Hodgkiss and pulled the ball back to the edge of the box. Marlow twisted and turned neatly before unleashing a reverse effort into the bottom left of MacDonald's goal.

The second half started slowly with the home side almost opening up a two goal lead first through ex-Kendal full-back Glenn Steel and then through Andrew Bell.

Stringfellow brought on Tommy Watson, Isaac Kusaloka and Pickup as they searched for an equaliser but it was Bamber who scored next.

Waddecar, who looked lively all afternoon, cross to the far post where Vasey was waiting to bundle the ball in past the dive of MacDonald.

Kendal did set up a nervy ending when Pickup scored on the 84 minute mark. Good work by Jeff King on the left saw him fire a ball across the six-yard box where the former Padiham midfielder was waiting to poke home.

Despite a Kendal onslaught in the final moments they failed to break down a resilient Bamber defence.