THE season may be just a month old, but the signs of a crisis are already appearing at Kendal Town.

Tuesday night's 7-2 home trouncing by previously pointless Trafford, a performance embattled manager Steve Edmondson described as "abysmal," plumbed new depths and increased the gloom which had already descended on the club after a 5-0 defeat at Mossley on Saturday.

Last season's travails meant this BetVictor League campaign was always going to present a tough challenge for Town, but the hint of optimism created by a first point of the season in last week's goalless encounter against Widnes evaporated in that heavy loss at Mossley.

A spirited first half display saw them go in at the break just 1-0 down, and that could easily have been 1-1 if Nathan Cloudsdale's effort had not been well saved, but Town subsided badly in the second half to end the game a well beaten side.

Yet still there was little hint of the trauma to come on Tuesday when bottom side Trafford visited the ST&B Accountants Stadium.

Town briefly shone as Danny Keenan who went clean through on goal in the opening seconds only to rattle the bar with his shot, but that was as good as it got for the home side.

Moments later, a fumble by keeper Murray O'Rourke gifted Sam Egerton a golden chance which he slotted home, and from that moment, the Mintcakes' performance matched the miserable weather on a wet and gloomy night.

Trafford too control and had already missed two further chances when they finally doubled the lead on 17 minutes after Joel Amado headed home.

As the rain continued to fall, Lewis Salmon helped himself to a brace just before half time and a disjointed Town went in 4-0 down at the break.

They made a bright start to the second half and Emil Jaaskelainen's header reduced the deficit on 50 minutes, a goal which spurred on the home side for a time.

But any revival hopes were killed off when O'Rourke's poor clearance fell to Salmon who needed no invitation to complete his hat trick.

Trafford substitute Jordan Johnson made it 6-1 and Jamie Pattinson's strike was mere consolation as Johnson completed the rout in the closing minutes.

As a thin crowd of 89 filed out into the night, Edmondson was honest enough to admit the display was unacceptable.

"It was shocking," he said.

"I have to hold my hands up and look at myself. I made mistakes as well."

Edmondson knows he faces a huge task to lift the side for Saturday's trip to high flying Droylsden, which is followed swiftly by the visit next Tuesday evening of early season leaders and Cumbrian neighbours Workington.

"As a club we have got to learn from it and hopefully put it behind us and try to regroup for Saturday which is going to be a tough game again," said Edmondson, who called for "100 per cent improvement" at Droylsden.

However, any upturn in form is still unlikely to placate a number of supporters who have long campaigned against chairman George Gudgeon and the current board.

A new online petition was launched during last night's game calling for regime change and many stayaway fans insist they will not return under the present stewardship.