All square in season opener for Kendal Town (From The Westmorland Gazette)

All square in season opener for Kendal Town

5:26pm Saturday 16th August 2008 in Sport By Arran Jolly

Kendal Town started their 2008/09 Unibond Premier season with a 1-1 draw away at Ilkeston Town.

Ian Kilford fired the visitors ahead on 39 minutes, running onto Craig Hobson’s flicked on ball and firing into the left hand corner of the net from just inside the area.

In a tight first half neither team fully imposed themselves on the other, with clear-cut chances at a premium, leaving Kendal taking the 1-0 advantage into the break.

Lee Ashcroft’s half time talk seemed to have inspired Kendal in the early stages of the second half. With Town captain Tony Hallam unlucky to see his free kick shave the outside of the goal netting as it bent just wide from 25 yards out, while Hobson squandered a good chance dragging his shot wide from a good position.

However, the pace of Ilkeston wide man Sam Duncan began to become increasingly influential as Kendal defenders tiered as the second half wore on. Duncan was central to most of Ilkeston’s attempts at drawing level, and on the 83 minute he got his reward, starting the move which drew his side level, as striker Amari Morgan-Smith brilliantly controlled a ball into the box before firing into the top corner on the volley.

Despite late pushes for each team, the final whistle blew with the score at 1-1 and a point for each team on the opening day off the season.

Full match report in next weeks Gazette