Football - Town feel absence of missing four (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Town feel absence of missing four

10:19am Saturday 8th November 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

Kendal Town 1.

Guiseley 4.

YOU have to look back to the pre-season visit of Sunderland in mid-August to find the last time Kendal conceded four or more goals in a single game.

While Guiseley were good value for their win, Kendal will feel the suspension of four outfield players tipped the game in the visitors' favour.

The absence of Callum Warburton was particularly noticeable as the Town midfield lacked tenacity at vital times.

The first half was played at a frantic pace, and both teams showed attacking skill that was easy on the eye and highlighted why this game was a top-of-the-table clash.

Even so, with the half-time score narrowly in Guiseley's favour at 2-1 few in attendance at the Parkside Road ground would have envisaged a one-sided second half in which the visitors doubled their goal tally.

The game opened at a cracking pace and after 13 minutes Guiseley's Mark Whitehouse whipped a cross in from the left that Phil Denney met with a bullet header to give keeper Newnes no chance.

If there was a positive from seeing his side fall behind, player-manager Lee Ashcroft must have been delighted with his side's response.

Kendal found another gear and steamed forward, with winger Carl Osman giving his marker plenty to think about with several mazy runs.

Just after the half-hour mark, Osman set up Dave Standley on the edge of the box for a curling drive that Tom Morgan in the Guiseley goal saved well.

But from the resulting corner, Kendal drew level. Michael Cole’s cross found Craig Hobson just inside the six-yard box and the striker rose to head home powerfully.

Kendal briefly looked like they would go on and take the lead. However, seven minutes from half time Guiseley’s Steve Burton made a run down the left that unlocked Town's defence.

Allowed to reach the byeline, the midfielder strolled into the Town box and fired past Newnes to restore the visitors' advantage.

The second half started promisingly for Kendal as Hobson did well to control and shoot on the turn, but Morgan stuck out a leg to make what was to be his last significant save of the afternoon.

On 62 minutes Guiseley’s Mark Whitehouse collected a long ball downfield. Standley seemed to slip and it allowed the striker time to take another touch before firing past Newnes from just inside the box.

Town threw on Tony Hallam up front for the quiet Lee Mulvaney on 71 minutes. But his team-mates struggled to utilise the substitute’s physical presence and he made little impact.

Guiseley put the game to bed with a fourth goal eight minutes from the end of normal time.

As Kendal failed to take the chance to relieve a spell of pressure, George Melling’s attempted clearance fell to Chris Bolder and the centre-back bent a shot round Newnes from the edge of the area to end Town’s unbeaten league run.

HOW THEY RATED: Newnes 6, Standley 7, Byrne 6, Wordsworth 7, Melling 7, Baker 6, Osman 7, Hobson 7, Taylor 7, Cole 7, Mulvaney (Hallam 71) 6. Att: 188.

O Star man: Carl Osman - kept the visiting defence on their toes more than anyone with incisive passing and running with the ball.