STEVE Edmondson has vowed that his young Kendal Town will battle on in their fight to avoid relegation despite a week of woe for the club.

The news that the recently installed caretaker boss's number two Craig Dootson has left the club is a bitter blow to the Mintcakes in a week when they also slipped to defeat in two crucial home league games.

But Edmondson said the players had showed in the later stages of Tuesday's defeat by Kidsgrove Athletic that they were beginning to gel and he promised the fans they would battle all the way in their efforts to escape relegation to the North West Counties League.

"We were 100 times better against Kidsgrove than we were on Saturday against Glossop but we just couldn't get the ball in the net," he said.

"But these are young lads who have only just started playing together.

"They played some good football at times, the atmosphere in the dressing room is great and the lads are up for it.

"I just hope the fans stay behind us and that we can stay up."

Saturday's relegation six pointer ended in disappointment when Town slipped to a 3-1 defeat against visitors Glossop, and there was more disappointment on Tuesday when the home Evo-Stik West clash against Kidsgrove ended in a narrow 2-1 reverse and Dootson's departure was confirmed.

The ex-Preston keeper has taken up a post as goalkeeping coach at Liverpool FC Ladies, though Edmondson said he would continue to assist the club whenever possible, especially in player recruitment where his vast array of contacts has been priceless during the club's frantic rebuilding after the recent mass exodus of players.

"Just want to say a big thank you to everyone at Kendal for giving me such a warm welcome whilst I’ve been there," said Dootson in a message confirming his brief spell at the club had ended.

"Unfortunately my time on the sidelines has come to an end. I have been offered an opportunity within football that was impossible to turn down and its back doing what I enjoy the most, working with goalkeepers."

And Dootson expressed his wish that off the field problems, which have seen criticism by fans of chairman George Gudgeon's regime, would soon be resolved.

"I hope for the club's sake that the situation at Kendal is resolved ASAP, because with the current atmosphere the club will only suffer more," he said.

"I will continue to help with players coming in etc, and I hope that the results take a turn for the better and the club can stay up, which I’m sure it will."

Edmondson said Phil Singleton and Aaron Helliwell were now assisting with coaching duties for the time being as Town attempt to get back to winning ways with a trip to mid-table Colne on Saturday.

The Mintcakes chief said while recruitment efforts were continuing, they were unlikely to bear fruit before the weekend.

However, there is still a chance striker Sope Awe, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury, may regain fitness in time for the trip to Colne.