Town reach Doodson Cup quarter-finals with shootout victory at Lancaster City (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Town reach Doodson Cup quarter-finals with shootout victory at Lancaster City

11:54pm Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Kendal Town news By Patrick O'Kane, Senior News/Sport Reporter

Evo-Stik League, Doodson Cup, fourth round
Lancaster City 3 Kendal Town 3
AET(Kendal Town win 5-4 on penalties)
MARK Jackson returned to the Giant Axe to haunt former club Lancaster City with a penalty shootout strike that sent Kendal Town into the quarter-finals of the Evo-Stik League's Doodson Cup.

The scores were level at 3-3 after extra time and after Tom Newton had saved a City penalty, Jackson strolled up and sent the keeper the wrong way to send Town through 5-4 on penalties.

In a thrilling derby encounter it was the Dolly Blues who took the lead through former Town player Zach Clark when he was put through in the 12th minute.

Clark controlled and slotted around Newton to the near post.

But two goals in a minute turned the game in Town's favour when Peter Wright's shot on the spin from 20 yards passed through Ashley Dunn's legs and evaded City keeper Martin Fearon to nestle in the bottom corner.

And less than 60 seconds later Lee Ashcroft's men were in front when Adam Farrell latched on to a Newton goal kick and fired the ball under Fearon from the edge of the box.

On 32 minutes the goal of the game from Kevin Leadbetter gave Town a two-goal cushion.

Picking the ball up 30 yards from goal Leadbetter poised himself and struck a half volley above Fearon which crashed off the crossbar and into net for 3-1 as Town took control.

After the break though City battled back with a brace from Daniel Hattersley.

The hosts should have taken the tie in the 90th minute when the ball was squared to Hattersley for a simple tap in to an open net, but the striker instead fell over and the match went to extra time.

There were few efforts to mention in the additional 30 minutes as both sides tired.

City thought they had won the game with four minutes to go when Clark fired at goal from six yards but Rory Winters headed off the line to keep Town in the tie.

A bizarre twist a minute later saw the referee blow for full time with three minutes left to play and after a short stoppage the game resumed.

In the dying moments substitute Joe Bunney was red carded for a lunge on Shaun Gray but Town couldn't make the extra man count.

Penalties ensued and with the scores at two apiece Alex Kenyon's spot kick was excellently saved by Newton.

Gray, followed by Leadbetter, stepped up and fired home and it was left to Jackson to round a testing night off for Town by sending Fearon the wrong way for a 5-4 shootout win.

HOW THEY RATED: T Newton 8, R Winters 6, D Williams 7 (rep M Jackson 68mins), S Gray 7, M Joseph 6, D Wisdom 7, C Donnelly 6, A Farrell 6, P Wright 7 (rep T Kilifin 62mins), A Dunn 7, K Leadbetter 8.

Subs: I Kilford, J Tucker.

Star man - Kevin Leadbetter - sterling strike capped an impressive performance.

Att: 194