KENDAL Town welcomed a strong Carlisle United Reserve team for an impromptu friendly encounter at The St & B Accountants Stadium which ended 4-1 to the visitors.

Jon Mellish scored a hat-trick for the Blues but the final score didn’t reflect the game as Kendal played well for large periods up until the last 15 minutes, when Carlisle’s fitness and experience told as the visitors ran out comfortable winners.

Kendal, who went into the game on the back of a frustrating 1-0 defeat to City of Liverpool, fielded the majority of the first team which included former United goalkeeper Morgan Bacon, while Carlisle loan signing Keighran Kerr played against his parent club.

Carlisle had a strong line-up and started the game well, opening the scoring after 14 minutes when Taylor Charters’ low corner was turned in by Mellish.

Kendal tested the visitors’ defence after Elliott Moore saw his effort on goal comfortably saved by the visiting goalkeeper.

However, Carlisle created the clearer cut opportunities but were constantly denied by Bacon, who kept out a shot from Jamie Armstrong before saving at the feet of Callum Harries.

Kendal were reduced to long distance opportunities, with Sean Paterson blazing over after good work by Patrick Allington and Christian Sloan in an otherwise uneventful first half.

At the start of the second half, Kendal imposed themselves and equalised after Patrick Allington curled an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner.

Allington got onto a well-worked attack from Christian Sloan before firing in a precise finish.

Kendal pressed, only to be denied by Max Hunt who made a last-ditch challenge for the visitors, while Dewhurst in the Carlisle goal made a point-blank save.

However, Carlisle’s strength in depth told during the latter stages of the half and after Bacon denied Jimiel Chikukwa, the visitors regained the lead on 76 minutes as Callum Harries slotted home from close range from a Jamie Armstrong cross.

Mellish made it 3-1 two minutes later when he headed the ball in from a Keelan Leslie delivery before completing his hat-trick on 80 minutes when he drilled the ball low past Bacon.