GOALSCORING chaos reigned supreme at Parkside Road as late drama saw Kendal seal maximum points against Mossley, with Danny Mitchley’s hat-trick only half the story.

Mitchley and Richard Bennett traded early blows before the former Blackpool striker added to a
Sefton Gonzales strike as the Mintcakes established a healthy half-time lead.

Having missed a first-half penalty, Mitchley completed his treble as the Lilywhites staged a second-half fightback with two goals from Charlie Anderson and a leveller from Bennett.

Rob Wilson’s contentious spot-kick gave Kendal an injury-time lead with Kyle McGonigle seeing red before Zach Clark made the game safe despite Andy Keogh’s consolation.

After three appearances for Clitheroe, Gonzales returned to Kendal’s starting line-up while on-loan Morecambe reserve team captain Will Bell partnered Martin Grundy at centre-half.

With only two minutes on the clock, Mitchley hammered home from close range after Wilson’s free-kick from the left touchline was touched into his path by Mike Rushton.

The visitors came close to restoring parity moments later as Anderson – son of former England international Viv – struck the crossbar with a curling free-kick after a foul on Bennett.

No two teams have scored and conceded goals in as equal measure as these two so the end to end nature of game came as little surprise.

Kendal missed a golden opportunity to double their lead after eight minutes as Mitchley saw his spot-kick – awarded for a foul on Wilson – hit the underside of the crossbar.

And the home side were made to pay shortly afterwards as stand-in goalkeeper Phil King failed to gather a right-wing cross from Keogh with Bennett taking full advantage to equalise.

Mitchley missed the target with a header from Wilson’s free-kick before Kendal regained the lead on 29 minutes, Gonzales firing home left-footed after controlling Maison McGeechan’s inswinging cross.

Doug Carroll has impressed for Mossley this season with 12 goals but shot wide despite having time and space in front of goal after latching onto Bennett’s mis-hit effort.

Nine minutes before the break Kendal had some breathing space, Wilson again the set-piece provider as Mitchley slammed home his second of the afternoon.

The in-form Wilson then almost added a fourth on the stroke of half-time as his low effort was well saved by former Chorley stopper Saunders.

A double half-time substitution saw the visitors move to a back three which paved the way for their revival but not before Kendal extended their advantage five minutes after the re-start.

Mitchley completed his hat-trick – his 16th goal of the campaign – by bundling Wilson’s corner over the line after Bell flicked the ball towards goal.

However, the Lilywhites surged back into the game and pulled a goal back on 56 minutes through Anderson who fired into the roof of net following Kevin McGrath’s free-kick.

And shortly after the hour mark Mossley reduced the arrears further as Anderson curled a free-kick past King from the edge of the area following Lloyd’s foul on Bennett.

Substitute Ryan Humphreys wasted a free header from McGrath’s cross before the visitors’ comeback was complete with eight minutes remaining, Bennett out-jumping King to nod the Greater Manchester side level.

Zach Clark, a second-half replacement for McGeechan, was looking to exploit Mossley down the flanks and drew a fine save from Saunders before the match turned on a controversial injury-time incident.

Anderson appeared to win the ball cleanly while tackling Clark although the referee judged differently, with McGonigle and Lilywhites joint-manager Peter Band both dismissed for dissent.

The excellent Wilson – taking over penalty duties from Mitchley – planted his spot-kick past Saunders although the goalscoring still remained incomplete.

Clark raced onto Luke Selby’s through ball to fire across Saunders to effectively secure the win for Dave Foster’s side before Keogh prodded Bennett’s knockdown past King deep into stoppage-time.
 

Kendal Town: Phil King, Ross Lloyd, Jack Smith, Rob Wilson, Will Bell, Martin Grundy, Mike Rushton, Danny Coid (c), Danny Mitchley (Luke Selby 90), Sefton Gonzales, Maison McGeechan (Zach Clark 77). Subs not used: Kevin Brown, Matthew Knipe, Oliver Mathieson

Mossley: Russ Saunders, Mark Haslam (Simon Gallanders 46, Ryan Humphreys 59), Louis Horne (Lewis Nightingale 46), Kevin McGrath, Kyle McGonigle, Charlie Anderson, Dean Warburton, John Bennett, Doug Carroll, Andy Keogh, Richard Bennett. Subs not used: Daniel McDonnell

Attendance: 119