Last-gasp goal thwarts Town (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Last-gasp goal thwarts Town

8:35am Friday 7th December 2007 in Sport By Dennis Aris

MATLOCK Town is the destination for a Kendal Town side desperately keen to stop a win-less sequence from running into double figures on Saturday, writes Richard Daniels.

Admittedly, Town's run of disappointing form comprises exits from four cup competitions, over which nobody is crying much about, while two of the five league matches were drawn.

Yet Town boss Lee Ashcroft knows all too well that his squad need an all-important confidence boost as they strive to move out of third-from- bottom slot while they have several matches in hand on teams around them.

Last Saturday seemed to be a suitable opportunity as a buoyant Kendal went into the second half nurturing a 2-1 lead, having shown character to score twice in as many minutes almost immediately after falling behind.

Kendal enjoyed the best scoring chances afterwards but the security of another goal eluded them and there was palpable anguish among the players when Ashton equalised in the closing seconds.

Eighth-placed Matlock Town, who finished fifth in last year's final table, are a well-drilled outfit but have lost their last two games and conceded three goals each time.

The Derbyshire club are also suffering an injury crisis, which worsened in the 3-0 defeat at Whitby on Saturday with the loss of in-form striker Dene Cropper with a recurrence of his knee trouble that will mean a lengthy absence.

Kendal are able to call upon a full-strength squad and Ashcroft said he was hoping to make at least one more signing this weekend.

Ashcroft came off the bench on Saturday, despite still feeling the effects on a broken foot sustained playing in a charity game five weeks ago.

He has also brought in Ged Starkey, one of the highest qualified FA coaches in Lancashire.

"He's worked with Preston North End and Shrewsbury and he has unbelievable experience and it will help us,"said Ashcroft.

And he added: "We just needs to be ruthless in front of goal. We're on top in most games possession-wise and our football is good - I don't think the fans would like it if we started to lump it in the air."

Kendal Town ..........2 Ashton United.....2...

A CRUEL 90th-minute equaliser denied Kendal Town a win that had looked within grasp as they try to claw their way out of their current bad patch.

Wide midfielder Lee Mulvaney returned from suspension in the Town starting line-up and Peter Ferris, the ex-Carlisle United player - back at the club after a spell last season - was on the other wing.

Meanwhile, new loan signing Gary Ball, from Morecambe, also went in at centre-back alongside Tony Hallam and he made an encouraging debut, notably with couple of last-ditch tackles.

Not unexpectedly with several changes, Kendal took time to find their feet and against an Ashton side who look cautious to commit themselves, a nondescript half-hour passed by.

Kendal broke the tedium with a great opportunity in the 34th minute when Peter Ferris picked out Alex Taylor turning cleverly through the defence and he crossed to put Gareth Arnison clear in front of goal.

Arnison looked to have done the hard bit as he rounded the keeper but he steered his shot into the side-netting.

You could not have predict ed the way this dull match crackled into life with three goals in five minutes before half time.

Ashton made the most of the let-off to go ahead in the 37th minute. A ball lobbed through the centre of the Kendal defence allowed Ian Fitzpatrick to dart through and he angled a low shot past keeper David Newnes and into the corner.

Three minutes later Kendal levelled the scores when an Ashton defender's gifted the ball to Arnison, who atoned for his earlier miss by sliding a well-placed shot past Damian Roonley.

Mulvaney then tried a 25-yard snap shot that the Ashton keeper only kept out with an acrobatic leap to palm over.

Central midfielder Ian Kilford took the resulting corner in the 42nd minute and his inswinging cross flew directly in at the far corner with Rooney only able to get a hand to help it on its way.

Rattled Ashton might have conceded another when a poor defensive header rebounded narrowly wide off a retreating Arnisonjust before the half-time whistle.

Kendal oozed confidence at the start of the second period with Callum Warburton forcing the keeper into another good diving save to tip away his free kick.

Rooney again came to Ashton's rescue again with another smart reaction save to deny Alex Taylor's cheeky flick header from Warburton's 54th-minute corner.

There was more movement and belief about Kendal and with 15 minutes left Ashcroft replaced Arnison with Michael Cole taking over from Ferris.

The turning-point arrived when Hallam strode forward for a free kick in the 78th minute only to see a firm header from Warburton's cross rattle the crossbar and go over.

The tide turned and it was Kendal who were on the back foot as Ball and then Paul Byrne made important tackles as the visiting forwards bore down on goal.

Newnes also chipped in with a superb close-range save to deny Howard, but the same player had the last word when he arrived at the far post to bundle in a deep cross from the left much to the home team's anguish.

One point was not the reward Kendal wanted and skipper Hallam and his side showed they how keenly they felt the loss by their grim faces at the final whistle.

HOW THEY RATED: Newnes 8, Forbes 8 (Whittal-Williams 86min, 7), Byrne 8, Ball 8, Hallam 8, Warburton 8, Ferris 7 (Cole 75min, 7), Kilford 7, Taylor 7, Arnison 8 (Ashcroft 75min, 7), Mulvaney 7.

H Star man: Gary Ball - Ex-Morecambe academy newcomer made an immediate impact with his mobility and some well-timed tackles.

n Kendal's last home match before Christmas is against lowly Lincoln United on Saturday, December 15.

Kendal are away to Ossett (December 22) and Fleetwood (Boxing Day, December 26), but return home against Eastwood in a rearranged match on Saturday, December 29.