Bridge busters... (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Bridge busters...

8:09am Friday 16th September 2005 in Sport By Dennis Aris

KENDAL brushed aside ordinary Bamber Bridge at Irongate on Tuesday night as they put their UniBond League First Division campaign firmly back on the rails.

Lee Ashcroft led the way with two goals in this confidence-boosting victory despite the side still having key players sidelined with injury.

It took barely two minutes before Ashcroft opened his account. Benefiting from Kenny Mayers' aerial challenge on Bridge goalkeeper Cyril Sharrock, Ashcroft guided the ball into the empty net.

Seven minutes later Kendal went further ahead through a high-quality goal. Crisp interplay down the right ended in Ged Smith's looping header finding a way past stranded Sharrock.

Bamber Bridge's Ian Barker had what appeared to be an easy chance to pull one back, but he headed wide from 10 yards.

Instead Kendal took control five minutes before the break when the vibrant Ashcroft seized on a half-cleared attempt by Mayers to slam the ball in for 3-0.

Bamber Bridge 0,Kendal Town 5

It was a deflated Bridge side which took the field for the second half and summer signing Paul Osborne made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute with a clinical finish.

Former Bridge player Mayers then made sure he did not miss out on the act by volleying in Town's fifth in the 66th minute.

How they rated: Salisbury 7; Whittal-Williams 7, Sparrow 7, Mercer 8, Kennedy (J. Osborne 6 from 70 minutes) 8; Kilford 7, Woodruffe 8, P. Osborne 8, G. Smith 9 (P. Smith 6 from 76 minutes) 8; Mayers 8 (L. Tarczuck 6 from 76 minutes), Ashcroft 9.