Kendal Town 0, Gresley Rovers 3 (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kendal Town 0, Gresley Rovers 3

10:45pm Tuesday 11th April 2006 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

Great expectations turned to bitter disappointment as Kendal turned in a hapless performance without a significant shot on goal.

Victory would have boosted the home side to within a point of UniBond League First Division leaders Mossley, but it was Gresley's desire to stay in the play-off places which proved the greater motivation.

From the outset Town relied on hopeful balls skied forward instead of the smooth passing football which is usually their trademark, but few fell kindly for front runners David Foster and Chris Ward who were marshalled out of the game by the strong Mossley centre-backs.

By contrast Gresley knew how to exploit the fast breaks and Town keeper James Salisbury was forced to make two timely tip overs in the first half.

Star man on the night was Gresley's Aaron O'Conner who threatened every time he collected the ball and headed goalwards.

Inevitably it was O'Conner who made the breakthrough on 64 minutes, collecting a through ball from midfield haring between the ,lastg two Kendal defenders and slamming the ball past the helpless Salisbury.

Kendal had to go for an equaliser and although Ward headed just wide from a Peter Smith cross and a dipping shot from Ged Smith was tipped over by the keeper Town's defence always looked vulnerable. In the 88th minute mecurial O'Conner advanced again before chipped the ball neatly for unmarked Paul Edwards to hammer in the Gresley's second.

O'Conner was also the architect of the third, racing on to a long diagonal cross in the 90th minute before hitting a shot which was diverted neatly in by Edwards to pile on the misery for Kendal.

Town boss Tony Hesketh will have some hard thinking to do if he is to turn things round before Friday's home clash with Bridlington Town.