Football – Taylor’s 30-yard blast seals points (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football – Taylor’s 30-yard blast seals points

11:42pm Saturday 4th December 2004 in Sport By Dennis Aris

Kendal Town 2, Willenhall Town 1.

Two first half goals sealed the points to send Kendal soaring towards the play-off places in the UniBond League First Division, but Willenhall will be disappointed not to have gone home with at least a point.

Against the run of early Willenhall pressure Kendal won a corner in the eighth minute. Russ McKenna swung it into the heart of the box, Kenny Mayers nodded it forward and David Foster acrobatically flun his leg at it and netted from eight yards.

Willenhall continued to have the lion's share of possession, however and on 24 minutes keeper Mark Thornley kept Kendal ahead with a brilliant one-handed tip over of Thomas Vaughan's shot.

Thrroughout the match Nigel Taylor had been solid in defence, but on 41 minutes he turned match-winner. Willenhall thought that the danger had gone when a Kendal corner was booted 30 yards upfield, but Taylor whacked a bullet of a rising shot which flew into the top right corner of the net.

A second half fight back as inevitable, particularly as Town had to substitute Ricky Mercer, the hard man in midfield who had been limping since a heavy challenge early in the first half.

On 66 minutes Willenhall's Martin Myer reduced the deficit by pouncing on a loose ball in the heart of the penalty area to set up a torrid final 20 minutes during which Thornley made two more stunning saves as Kendal hung on for three invaluable points.

Now Kendal must prepare for what could be an equally tough test next Saturday when they travel to top of the league Ilkeston Town.