4:50pm Sunday 7th March 2010
By Tristan Savage
A daunting 300-mile round trip was no deterrent to Ian Kilford and his Kendal Town side as they bounced back in style from two consecutive defeats as a crowd of 295 watched Kendal score a morale boosting 2-0 victory at play-off rivals North Ferriby United.
Kilford made two changes from Guiseley four days earlier, with George Melling replacing James Connelly at the heart of defence and returning Peter Wright replaced the departed Andy Bell in attack.
Kendal started the game strongly and constant pressure from the kick off saw the visitors take an early lead, when, from a Keiran Walmsley corner on the right, Glenn Steel found himself unmarked eight yards from goal and headed past the helpless home goalkeeper Steve Wilson.
Kendal continued to dominate possession and were unlucky not to extend their lead with Alex Taylor, Wright and Carl Osman all having strikes on goal.
However, an innocuous challenge on captain Glen Steel on 27 minutes, threatened to disrupt not just Kendal's control of this game but the remainder of their season.
Steel was lining up a shot on the edge of the area when he was knocked off balance and collapsed in agony. Lee Mulvaney was sent on to replace the stricken defender, with Warren Beattie taking up an unaccustomed role in defence.
The travelling Kendal support were initially unaware of the seriousness of the injury until emergency paramedics arrived at the ground on the stroke of half time to rush him to hospital.
In the second half, Walmsley went close with another of his trademark free kicks going narrowly wide.
With so much at stake for both teams, it was inevitable the home side were going to battle their way into the game and on the hour mark Alex Davidson shot into the side netting.
On 65 minutes, both teams were reduced to ten men when substitute Mulvaney was sent off for retaliating to a late challenge from home defender Liam Chapman, who also saw a red card.
Despite, being a goal up and down to ten men, Kilford refused to allow his team to sit back on their lead and continued to threaten with two forwards.
However, with the game so open, Ferriby repeatedly pushed forward and Kendal were reliant on some great defending and goalkeeping, with man of the match David Newnes saving in his bottom left hand corner from Chris Bolder and another breathtaking stop from close range.
In injury time, Alex Taylor made sure Kendal brought all three points back to the Lake District, when he broke down the left, cut in on goal and hit a low hard shot past the home keeper into the far corner.
HOW THEY RATED: David Newnes 8 Keiran Walmsley 7 Callum Warburton 7 George Melling 8 Glen Steel (rep Lee Mulvaney 27 mins 5) 7 Gary Stopforth 7 Carl Osman 7 Warren Beattie 7 Alex Taylor (rep Gareth Stringfellow 93) 8 Peter Wright 7 Danny Wisdom 7 Substitutes: Paul Byrne, Dave Foster, Tom Newton Star Man: David Newnes – made some crucial stops to ensure Kendal took all three points Att: 295
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/trade_directory/