Football - Town edged out of thriller (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Town edged out of thriller

1:41pm Saturday 27th December 2008 in

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Kendal Town……...2.

Ossett Town……..3.

KENDAL Town staged a terrific comeback on their return to action but were edged out by Ossett Town in an entertaining game watched by Sir Tom Finney.

With the Town line-up naming three recognised strikers in Ashcroft, Taylor and Hobson the teamsheet promised plenty of goalmouth action and it did not take long for the game to burst into life.

Relegation battling Ossett created something of an early upset against their play-off ambitious hosts as they raced into a 2-0 lead in the opening ten minutes.

A simple header at the back post from Aiden Savory gave Kendal a rude awakening as the No. 10 timed his jump perfectly to nod home Andy Lee's sixth-minute free-kick.

Despite going a goal behind, Kendal's midfield - missing the snap of the suspended Callum Warburton - continued to allow Ossett plenty of time on the ball.

Ten minutes in, Ossett doubled their lead as Simon Baldrey raced down the right flank and fired a looping shot over Newnes from outside the area.

Although Kendal looked shell-shocked, the boot of Michael Cole from corner-kicks provided a source of ammunition for the Town attack and the team raised their game and equalised.

Captain Tony Hallam saw his headed effort from a Cole corner smash against the post on 20 minutes, while young striker Craig Hobson also saw an effort cleared off the line minutes earlier.

But it was a case of third time lucky for Lee Ashcroft's team as on 26 minutes Cole's in-swinger was met Carl Osman for a deft glancing header into the net to make it 2-1.

Kendal piled forward and Osman turned provider on 33 minutes as he zipped over a cross from the right to find Alex Taylor sliding in to connect powerfully.

Although the keeper blocked the effort, striker partner Hobson was hot on the trail and fired in the rebound the complete Town's first half comeback to level terms at 2-2.

Early signs in the second half suggested there would be little let up in the goalmouth action as Ashcroft found an unmarked Cole on the edge of the six-yard box on 47 minutes.

With the goal at his mercy the midfielder somehow managed to send his header straight against the crossbar and Ossett cleared.

But as in the Whitby game the previous week, Kendal seemed to allow Ossett back into the game and as the hour mark passed both teams committed men forward.

The remaining 30 minutes of football was played out almost exclusively in and around the two penalty areas.

It made for nail-biting viewing as both teams saw efforts go close. But the introduction of Danny from the Ossett bench proved decisive for the visitors as the substitute supplied the winner on 84 minutes.

Beating tired legs in the Town defence to a hopeful long ball forward, Davidson dummied the exposed Newnes on the angle of the penalty area and slid the ball in to the empty net to silence Parkside Road.

The Town faithful stayed to see if Kendal could repeat last week's injury time leveller and last week's hero Carl Osman almost did the trick again.

He met another Cole corner powerfully but his effort went tantalisingly wide, taking with it Town's hopes of a valuable point.

HOW THEY RATED: Newnes 7, Williams 6, Standley 6, Hallam 6 (Baker 69,6) Melling 7, Cole 7, Osman 7, Ashcroft 6 (Wisdom,60, 6) Hobson 6, Kilford 6, Taylor 6 (Harrison, 81, 6). * Star man: Carl Osman: Although he could not repeat last week's injury time equaliser the winger scored one and set up the other.