Report: Mickleover Sports vs KTFC
Kendal take maximum points and provide maximum entertainment for the travelling fans as Town hit Mickleover for six..
Saturday 3rd September 2011
Kendal take maximum points and provide maximum entertainment for the travelling fans on 'Non League Day' as Town hit Mickleover for six..
Match Report by Brett Munslow
Today's fixture fell on 'Non League Day'. With England playing on Friday evening there was no football action in England's top two leagues, the idea of the day being to try and promote Non-League football to those persons who may perhaps have never experienced the charm of the Non-League game. Derby County Mascot 'Rammie the Ram' even attended the game to lend support to Derby's nearby neighbours.
And those who made the effort to attend were to be in for a feast of goalmouth action throughout the game, as Kendal were clearly in the mood to take all that was on offer from a shaky home defence.
Indeed the defensive frailty was exposed inside the very first minute as Kendal midfielder Ashley Dunn was sent tumbling by Thom Kellogg after moving the ball down the left hand side of the pitch, the home player receiving a yellow card inside 30 seconds for his efforts.
Kendal continued undeterred and further hesitation in the home defence was to prove costly on 14 minutes, when excellent work between Alex Taylor and Mark Peers allowed Mark Jackson to strike Kendal into an early lead.
After seeing the fruits of their labour come into fruition, the confidence was exuding from every one of Kendal's outfield players; the ball being stroked around the pitch with breathtaking precision and speed. Kieran Walmsley released Danny Williams down the left-hand side of the pitch, Kendal's wideman narrowly adjudged to be offside, before a similar reverse pass allowed the dangerous Mark Peers to force a corner from home wingback Jason Beardsley.
Whilst Kendal were clearly in an expressive mood, the home goalkeeper Chris Dodsley, standing in for the injured Barcherini, was clearly in a defiant mood. The ball broke for Kieran Walmsley in a customary edge-of-the-box location and the Kendal wing-back thundered an effort towards goal, the ball appearing to be heading directly into the top right-hand corner, before the home custodian pulled off what was to be described by many as a 'world class' save, to tip the attempt round the post and force a corner for the visiting side.
After another neat passage of play, Kendal wingback Danny Wisdom was allowed to come inside and flashed a snapshot over the crossbar from the edge of the 18-yard box.
Mickleover were seemingly having problems working the ball out of defence, often resulting in long balls aimed towards tall frontman Karl Ashton. The aforementioned striker was however starting to get into the game a great deal more at this stage, working well with his tricky strike partner Keiran O'Donnell on a couple of occasions, resulting in successive corners for the home side.
On 35 minutes O'Donnell had a glorious chance to equalise for Sports after he was released down the right wing. His pace saw him free from the attentions of Kendal's defenders, but the resulting chipped attempted on goal was to be a real disappointment, failing to trouble the onrushing Dootson in Kendal's goal.
Such wastefulness was to prove costly as Danny Williams was to grab Kendal's second only minutes later. A neat exchange between Kieran Walmsley and Mark Peers on the half-way line allowed Danny Williams to be released into the Mickleover half unchallenged. Williams played a sweeping pass out to the unmarked Alex Taylor, who pushed the ball towards the byline and stabbed a pass towards Danny Williams, who made no mistake, thundering his effort past Dodsley for a 2-0 lead.
Things were to get even better for the visitors on 42 minutes, when the lively Jackson grabbed his second goal. After a scramble in the home defence ensued, Jackson profited, retrieving the ball and placing between the goalkeeper's legs for a comfortable half-time lead.
It was to take only 3 minutes after the half time break for Kendal to further extend their advantage. The excellent Mark Peers tricked his way towards the edge of the Mickleover area, firing in a low shot towards Dodsley's goal. The ball was deflected off the outstretched leg of home defender Shaun Roulston past the home keeper and into the goal; his preventitive efforts ultimately in vain.
The score could and probably should have been 5-0 to the visitors when Danny Williams had an opportunity to convert on the back stick, the effort of the Kendal dangerman narrowly eluding the crossbar.
The Kendal pressure continued as Mark Jackson and Alex Taylor both had chances to further extend the Kendal lead. The magnificent workrate of Ashley Dunn and Ciaran Donnelly in Kendal's midfield was allowing the attacking players in Kendal's ranks to bomb forward with alarming regularity from the home supporter's point of view.
Danny Williams was close to profiting from a Donnelly pass on 64 minutes when a mazey run resulted in a shot trickling only inches wide of the helpless Dodsley's goal.
Tom Kilifin then replaced the excellent Mark Jackson who left the field to a rousing reception from Kendal's travelling supporters. Kilifin was immediately involved in the action as he was released down the left flank and was able to pass the attentions of the home defender with great composure. The young forward released a shot on goal that was parried by Dodsley, but comprehensively dispatched by the onrushing and unmarked Dunn for a 5-0 lead.
With attention turning towards Tuesday night's home fixture with FC United, the magnificent Rory Winters and Danny Williams were withdrawn from the field, replaced by Tim Baines and Ian Kilford.
Kendal weren't finished yet though and Kilifin was to profit from a beautiful cushioned pass from forward Alex Taylor on 84 minutes, after Ashley Dunn had retrieved the ball and delivered it forward. Kilifin controlled the pass well and appeared to have the goal at his mercy, his contact pure, but his effort was to rise over the Mickleover crossbar.
Various goalmouth scrambles began to ensue in the Mickleover box as the Kendal vultures began to circle. Kilifin, Taylor, Peers and Donnelly all had efforts either scrambled away or parried by the excellent Dodsley in the exchanges that ensued.
There was still time though for an individual effort and the first of the season for popular frontman Alex Taylor. Kendal's number 9 picked the ball up on the left-hand side of the pitch before driving the ball into the Mickleover 18-yard box. He unleashed a curled right-footed shot that travelled straight into the far corner, earning a deserved reward for an excellent afternoon's efforts for the frontman.
Craig Dootson; who had been a comparitive spectator for much of the game, was called into action twice within a minute deep into injury time, as substitute Bryant fed the ball to the lively O'Connell who forced a neat save from the Kendal keeper after the excellent Jordan Tucker had done well to deflect consecutive previous efforts. An even more impressive stop was to follow as Karl Ashton tested Dootson's agility, firing a shot firmly at the Kendal number 1's near post, the Kendal keeper up to the challenge, forcing the ball safely wide for a corner.
Attendance: 189
Kendal Town Team:
1) C Dootson, 2) K Walmsley, 3) D Wisdom, 4) R Winters (Baines 72), 5) J Tucker, 6) C Donnelly (C), 7) M Peers, 8) M Jackson (T Kilifin 65), 9) A Taylor, 10) A Dunn, 11) D Williams. 11) D Williams (I Kilford 71).
Kendal Subs Not Used: G McEvatt, T Newton (GK).
Mickleover Sports 0
Kendal Town 6 - Jackson 12, 42, Williams 37, Peers 48, Dunn 69, Taylor 87.
[Pictured: The Kendal fans celebrate a magnificent victory on the road with Derby County's Rammie the Ram.]
