Role switch came too late (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Role switch came too late

9:22am Friday 14th October 2005 in Sport By Dennis Aris

GED Smith gave manager Tony Hesketh a timely reminder of why he is far more valuable to the team as a left-winger than in the left back position he has inhabited for the last four matches.

Unfortunately the switch in position came too late to save lacklustre Kendal who were by that time already two goals down against Chorley.

Poor quality passing sold Town short from the start on Saturday and they paid the penalty in the 13th minute when Chorley's Chris Thompson picked up a loose ball just outside the Kendal area. Centre-back Dene Whittal-Williams tried to muscle him off it, but the striker recovered his balance the quicker of the two and hit the ball beyond keeper James Salisbury.

Midfielder Stuart Cliff shot wide as Town sought to recover then from a Peter Smith cross the same player just failed to direct a header over keeper Paul Horridge.

Salisbury made a fine diving save from Tony Sullivan in the 27th minute, but was helpless two minutes later when a neat Chorley move saw James Vernislio pick up a poor clearance and feed back a diagonal ball for Peter Wright to rocket a rising shot into the right hand side of the Kendal net.

The normally influential Lee Ashcroft was clearly struggling to stay in the game and it forced Hesketh into a general reshuffle, removing his ailing captain, bringing on Russell McKenna at left back, pushing Ged Smith forward to his favourite left wing and sending Kenny Mayers forwards as second striker.

Kendal Town 1, Chorley 2

It immediate led to a series of scintillating runs by Smith, forcing Chorley on to the back foot and opening the way for Mayers to shoot just wide and Whittal-Williams to head on to the post.

Aware of the new danger Chorley defended in depth in the second half determined to hold on to their two-goal cushion.

David Foster just failed to squeeze a shot under the visitor's keeper, Mayers headed wide again and from a cross by ever-dangerous right winger Peter Smith, Mayers had a goal bound header cleared off the line.

On the break Chorley threatened to net a third on several occasions, the nearest being when Salisbury rushed out to kick clear only for Kyle Armstrong to neatly lob the ball back just inches over the bar.

With 10 minutes left Town at last began to show some urgency and Ricky Mercer, who had replaced Peter Smith, headed wide. A long ball out of defence by Nigel Taylor was fed on by Ged Smith to Foster, whose header was just deflected over.

With minutes left an excellent long pass by Cliff fell neatly for Ged Smith to lob the keeper for 2-1 and deep into added time Mayers almost forced an equaliser, but Horridge saved with his legs.

How they rated: Salisbury 6; G. Smith 8, Taylor 7, Whittal-Williams 6, Rigby 7; Cliff 7, Mayers 6, Kilford 4, P. Smith 7 (Mercer 7 from 76 minutes), Foster 6 (Woodruffe 6 from 83 minutes), Ashcroft 5 (McKenna 7 from 34 minutes).