Brighouse Echo - Kendal Town 1-2 Brighouse Town

Match Report by Dave Parker

A DELIGHTED Brighouse Town manager Vill Powell told fans after the 2-1 away win at Kendal Town that the true scoreline should have read 5-0!

After apologising with assistant Leon Wainman for the poor showing in the second half at Tadcaster, the duo rightly took the plaudits for the workmanlike showing on the heavy but happy hunting ground of Parkside Road.

"The scoreline with their late goal from a free-kick on the edge of the box was not a true reflection of the game and the control we had on it," said Powell.

"We should have been 3-0 up at half-rime instead of 1-0, a bobble as George Gomersall was about to convert Aidan Kirby's cross and then Adam Field need satnav on the end of his boot when he had a clear goal to aim at from six yards out from another good Gomersall corner, but he sent it wide.

"Then, of course, we had Kirby having one palmed on to the crossbar and over for a corner from which Aaron (Martin) got his bullet header into the goal."

Down the hill in the second half Gomersall, who had a tremendous game, Callum Robinson and Tom Haigh put some great balls through for Martin and Kirby to chase and taunt the home defence and keeper whose nerves had been shot to pieces by midway through the second period as we collected our second goal.

"In summing up, I have to say it was a great workmanlike performance from 1-11 and then when the substitutes came on to cover for tiring legs and bodies, such was the effort."

In the opening few minutes it was clear that Kendal wanted to catch their visitors still on the coach, as the saying goes, and they did get two free kicks directly facing goal and some 25 yards out but one was wasted as it was blasted into the allotments and the other was smothered by keeper Chris Butt.

After the 15 minute mark it was Town, playing up the slight slope that gradually got on top and were working the home defence with Lewis Riley and Rhys Jenkinson working the ball wide and putting balls into good areas for ex-Frome Town player Aidan Kirby, taking his chance with Gabriel Johnson suspended, and Aaron Martin.

Connor Griffin, Callum Hall and Adam Field were thwarting anything the Mintcakes could produce and were then getting the ball forward.

Kendal couldn't knock Tom Haigh, Kirby, Robinson or Martin off the ball and Gomersall was exquisite with some of his passing.

After one poor effort from a corner, Gomersall delivered a second inside three minutes right on to the head of Martin and he powered it into the net from 10 yards out.

Two minutes later Kirby put a great ball into the box for Gomersall and it was easier to score than fall over which he did as the ball hit a divot and he lost his balance. And then as 45 minutes arrived Gomersall whipped in another great corner and Field side-footed a great opportunity wide.

Brighouse fans were buzzing at half-time with the performance and they were still purring as the side took up the cudgel immediately as the second half got underway.

Chances were coming and going and you sensed that they would possibly get a second to put the game within their grasp and they did. This came on 61 minutes as Martin headed on to the crossbar with Will Kitchen beaten and there was Robinson to follow up and stab it home.

Brighouse didn't give up pushing forward were continually taking the game to their hosts. Occasionally Kendal would get past the defence and their striker Connor Gaul did have two strikes on target which Butt dealt with.

On 70 minutes Kirby left to the field to huge applause from Town fans to be replaced by overnight signing Waide Fairhurst, who has had extensive Football League experience.

There was a mighty flare up on 75 minutes when Brighouse's Hall went down in a heavy tackle and a melee started which Clitheroe referee Ian Walsh eventually calmed down with his officials. The fall out was two bookings for Brighouse, Hall and keeper Butt who had run in from his goal to tell the official what he had seen. Town shut out that free kick and then rugged midfielder Adam Jones replaced Haigh three minutes later and Town continued to hold their advantage.

They did this until three minutes into added time of five and left back Ben Thomas just managed to bend one round the wall and beat Butt who did get a hand to it but the ball hit the post and went in.

Kendal Town: Kitchen, Aspin, Thomas, Penswick (Dawson), McDonald, Davis, McGahon (Bowman), Grundy, Wood, Gaul, Clarke (Seear). Unused Sub: Newton.

Brighouse Town: Butt, Jenkinson, Riley, Griffin, Hall, Field, Haigh (Jones), Robinson, Martin, Kirby (Fairhurst), Gomersall (Normanton) Unused subs: Aanor, Grimshaw.

Referee Ian Walsh

Attendance 112.