United Pay The Penalty At Kendal

Kendal Town 1 Skelmersdale United 0

By Simon Driscoll

Skelmersdale United await their first points of the season after a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Kendal Town. Gavin Clark's header on the hour mark gave the Mintcakes their first win with United ruing a 19th minute penalty miss from Kevin Edgar. Dave Powell handed a first start to on-loan Tyler Brownsword while Terence Smith and Alex Griffiths replaced Connor Belger and Michael White.

United started brightly with Alex Griffiths' flick shot saved by Stuart Dixon before Aaron Fleming drew a stop from Terry Smith with a fourth minute free-kick. Brad Carroll's shot took a deflection before sailing over the crossbar and at the other end, United came achingly close to scoring with Brownsword's effort from the edge of the area blocked before Dave Moore fired over the bar.

A lovely lofted pass from Edgar put Moore in range but he chose to find Jason Carey who drew a block from the home defence. The best chance to break the deadlock came on 19 minutes as United were awarded a penalty after Moore was felled, Edgar stepped up and saw his effort saved by Dixon.

Kendal's response was instant as Matt Clarke rasped a shot past the post before Fleming forced an acrobatic stop by Smith from distance. Edgar sent a shot over the bar before Kendal had their best chance of the half on 28 minutes, Carroll's lofted shot cannoning back off the crossbar. A mazy run by Griffiths saw an angled shot which Dixon saved ahead of along range shot from Charlie Ennis which sailed over just before half-time.

Alike the first half, United started brightest with Edgar's low shot creeping achingly past the far post. A mixup in the home defence saw Ennis left with an open goal from an angle but instead he picked out Moore who drew a strong stop from Dixon. Just before the hour mark, United came close to scoring with a clever cross from Carey achingly beating the onrushing Edgar a few yards from goal. The hosts went ahead on the hour as Gavin Clark connected to Fleming's long range free kick and headed past Smith for 1-0.

The hosts continue to threaten with Fleming's flicked cross headed just past the near post and another cross minutes later sailing across goal with a slight touch. United came close to levelling as substitutute Kyle Hawley headed just over from Ennis' cross.

Clarke drew a low save from Smith as the game reached the final minutes and United went close with Dixon forced into a save from a corner while Ennis drew a low save from range. The Blues will wonder how they ended with a blank sheet as further chances saw a brace of efforts from Carey and Moore denied by a mix of Dixon and his defence with the final whistle sounding minutes later.

Kendal Town - Dixon, Davis, Thomas, Grundy, McDonald (c) (Penswick 31), Clark, McGahon (Shearwood 82) Gardner, Fleming (Yawson 71), Clarke. Subs not used - Buchan, Scott.

Skelmersdale United - Smith, Woods, Fleming (Mooney 84), Molyneux, Brownsword, Roddy (c), Carey, Griffiths (Dunne 69), Edgar (Hawley 63), Ennis, Moore. Subs not used - White, Cheetham.

Referee- J Mulligan
Att - 139.