Football - Brigg sink Kendal hopes (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Brigg sink Kendal hopes

9:59am Sunday 18th September 2005 in Sport By Dennis Aris

Kendal Town 1, Brigg Town 4.

Two temperamental outbursts in four minutes saw defender Paul Sparrow sent off near the end to cap an inept display against the hard working north-eastern side.

Kendal's defending was woeful and attacking ineffectual and in the 25th minute the back four stood watching as Ross Thompson sized up his target and hit a 20-yarder which dipped over keeper James Salisbury Into the net.

Two minutes later a clumsy tackle by Dene-Whittal-Williams on Brett Nilsen brought a penalty which Thompson drove in low and hard t0Salisbury's right.

Just before the interval Ian Kilford was booked for diving in the Brigg area.

In the second half continual of the long ball down the centre brought no joy against the visitors who were superior in the air.

It needed a double change by Town boss Tony Hesketh in the 70th minute to bring more urgency to his side. Russ McKenn, restored after injury adding a more constructive dimension down the left and Peter Smith giving width down the right flank.

Two minutes later Smith floated a long cross from the bye-line and left winger Ged Smith hammered in a shot which Brigg keeper Damien Steer could only deflect for Kendal's Paul Osborne to smash back in.

Home spectators hoped for an equaliser, but in the 82nd minute Salisbury let a cross go over his head and Thompson raced round him to collect and complete his hat-trick from a narrow angle.

Three minutes later Brigg substitute David Poppleton completed the demolition with a cracking drive tha went in off the angle.

Sparrow had been booked minutes earlier for arguing with referee Mr B.A. Law, but had not learned his lesson as more abuse of the official in the 86th minute brought a second yellow and a dismissal which will make Town's task even harder in weeks to come.