Kendal 2 - 2 Clitheroe

CLITHEROE goalkeeper Peter Collinge made a hash of a late kick to hand Kendal a share of the spoils in an action-packed affair at the Lancaster and Morecambe College Stadium on Saturday.

It was a goalless first half which the away side dominate as Kendal's rhythm was disrupted by two injuries.

But Jordan Connerton scored from the spot shortly after half-time to break the deadlock before Cory Bent and Ryan Cattermole gave the visitors the lead.

Clitheroe were heading for all three points before Collinge came flying out his goal but completely missed the ball to allow Connerton an easy tap to draw the teams level.

Kendal registered no shots in the first half but Clitheroe were kept at bay by a string of impressive saves from Alexander Cameron.

The game's first chance arrived after only one minute as Zac Dale fired inches wide to the right of Cameron's goal after good work by former Kendal striker Sefton Gonzales.

A cross-field ball by Roberto Bonaminio was then headed down by Ross Dent but Cattermole's effort cleared the bar.

Dent then had a chance of his own but shot straight at Cameron after more good set-up play by Gonzales, who was proving to be a handful for Kendal's defence.

There was then a long stoppage in play when Byron Andrews clashed in the middle of the park with Cattermole. The Kendal midfielder was stretchered off with a serous looking leg injury and was replaced by Danny Forbes.

Cameron then produced a stunning save to deny Gonzales and centre-half Daniel Brady headed over from a corner.

The one-way traffic continued when Bent lost his marker on the left and drove hard into the box. He took on keeper Cameron but his shot was cleared off the line by Rory Winters.

Kendal's injury woes deepened when full-back Rob Henry was forced off and replaced by Zach Clark.

The lively Bent again threatened on the 30th minute but he shot over after skipping expertly past Craig Carney in the last major action of the first-half.

A different Kendal emerged from the tunnel after the break and broke the deadlock just two minutes later.

Clark was bundled over in the box after bamboozling Seydou Bamba. Connerton stepped up and lashed the ball straight into the roof of the net with his left peg. Bamba was hauled straight off by his boss.

Collinge was called into action for the first time on 64 minutes.

Teenager George Mason skipped inside Danny Morton and guided a shot into the top left but was denied by the outstretched fingertip of the keeper.

Seven minutes later and Clitheroe were level. James Walker's long-range shot deflected into path of the switched-on Bent. Cameron got a touch but Bent's half-volley nestled in the back of the net off the post.

Carney's blushes were spared when Cameron saved a Dent volley after Carney's miskicked clearance fell into path of the midfielder.

But Clitheroe were not to be denied a second when, with just six minutes left on the clock, Cattermole latched onto a pass and slotted past Cameron.

But that was not the end of the drama when Collinge completely missed his clearance. Connerton was the beneficiary as he slotted home his 23rd goal of the season to the delight of the home crowd.

Team: Cameron, Henry (Clark) Thomas, Mercer (c), Winters, Helliwell, Mason (Kelleher), Watson, Connerton, Andrews (Forbes), Carney. Subs not used: Fishwick. Att: 192