DESPITE appalling conditions, Kendal and Bury kicked off the second half of the North West One North season with an entertaining 2-2 draw at Queen Katherine School on Saturday.

Strong winds and lashing rain made the playing conditions difficult, and the match began with both teams testing each other's defensive capabilities. It was clear from the start that the sides were fairly evenly matched and both had chances to take an early lead.

But unfortunately for Kendal, it was the visitors that struck first.

Before long though, the Greens gained the upper hand with Matt and James Marston repeatedly linking up down the right flank, with devastating effect.

The hosts created a number of chances and the equaliser finally came when Phil Conlin and Mark Addison linked up in the middle to find Aaron Screen driving into the Bury D.

Screen blasted the ball across the face of the goal to the back post, where joint man of the match man Noah Ross dived at full stretch to find the goal-scoring touch.

Kendal kept up the pressure on their opposition, pinning them back within their own half.

They squandered several chances to go ahead, but eventually and deservedly did so thanks to John Stanworth.

Scotland over 40s international Steven Olliver played a killer pass to dissect the Bury defence leaving Stanworth with just the keeper to beat.

He calmly faked and committed the sprawling keeper before pulling the ball around him and tapping into the open goal to give his side a half time lead.

The weather worsened in the second half, but both teams continued to battle each other and the terrible conditions to somehow produce a well contested and hard fought half.

Chances were created at both ends, but unfortunately for Kendal, Bury snatched an equaliser midway through the half.

The Greens, to their credit, continued to show some belief that they would win the game and they continued to create chances.

However, despite having the greater number of opportunities, most notably when the other joint man of the match James Marston’s looping shot sailed just over the left post, they had to settle for the draw.