Kendal 2 - 3 Ossett Albion

KENDAL Town's defensive frailties were once again exposed as a brace from Nicholas Mathews helped Ossett Albion complete the double over the Mintcakes.

Jordan Connerton opened the scoring with his 24th goal of the season but the game was turned on its head in two first-half minutes when Mathews equalised for the visitors before he was fouled in the box to give Connor Bower the chance to put his side into the lead from the spot.

Youngster Jack Kelleher pulled the hosts level with his first home goal for the club before Mathews scored with just eight minutes left on the clock to condemn Kendal their 15th defeat of the season.

Despite being the league's second highest goalscorers, Kendal have the fourth worst defensive record and have only kept six clean sheets all season.

Both teams were slow to get out of the blocks and it took until the 15th minute before the first attempt on goal arrived when Kendal CDS midfielder George Mason scraped an effort along the floor.

But the crowd did not have to wait long after that before the deadlock was broken.

Mason passed the ball into the centre of the park and Ossett keeper Brett Soulter came out to smother the ball. But Connerton was alert and nipped in to poke under the onrushing Soulter.

In a game of few chances Ossett found themselves level after 36 minutes, and ahead one minute later.

The first goal came after a spell of pressure from the visitors ended with a cross coming in from the right.

Mathews dashed across the Kendal back four to latch onto the cross, took a touch and composed himself to slot under Alexander Cameron, who continues to deputise in place of the injured Liam Bleeker.

Mathews was again in on the action for Ossett's second goal.

Adam Muller latched onto a left-wing cross with a diving header but was thwarted by a brilliant save by Cameron.

The ball rebounded to the striker who was hauled down by Tommy Watson giving referee Kevin Sarsfield no choice but to point to the spot.

Bower stepped up and confidently smashed the ball down the middle of the goal.

Kendal almost levelled on the stroke of half-time but skipper Ricky Mercer's header from a Craig Carney free-kick was well saved by Soulter

Stringfellow would have been disappointed to go in at the break losing and shortly after the re-start he brought on Zach Clark for Aaron Helliwell to give Kendal more options going forward.

And the boss was rewarded on 55 minutes.

Clark played in Kelleher who in turn put Connerton in one-on-one. His shot was saved by the face of Soulter but the ball came out to Kelleher who kept his composure to lash home a half-volley into the bottom left of the net.

The game then began to stretch with both teams having plenty of chances and Cameron was in fine form to deny Bower.

But Ossett got the decisive fifth goal with just eight minutes left on the clock.

A cross came into the box from right full-back Steve Nicholson. Matthews, who looked lively all afternoon, took the ball down on his chest, rolled his marker and dinked the ball over Cameron.

Mercer was deployed as make-shift target man giving Kendal an option of pumping the ball long but Ossett held firm to pick up their fourth away win of the season.

Team: Cameron, Henry, Thomas, Mercer, Winters, Helliwell (Clark), Mason (Swarbrick), Watson, Connerton, Kelleher, Carney. Unused subs: Forbes, Stringfellow. Att: 170

l 18-year-old attacker Reece Fishwick has left the club and re-joined Evo-Stik NPL Division One North promotion hopefuls Northwich Victoria. Fishwick made seventeen appearances for Kendal, scoring three goals.