Northern Premier League Division 1
Kendal Town 3 : Bishop Auckland 3
18 October, 2005
Team: Darran Horrigan, James Crossman, Chris Leadbitter, Paul Craiger, Michael Coulthard, Craig Robson, Damon Robson, Michael Oliver, Mark Sheeran, Paul Campbell, Daniel Newby (David Spence 84mins)
Three more debuts tonight as Brian Healy starts to reshape the Bishops into a competitive side. Chris Leadbitter in at left back, with James Crossman returning to the team as right full back. Michael Oliver makes his first start in midfield, and Paul Campbell plays up front with Mark Sheeran.
Bishops were immediately under pressure from the kick off with an early long ball over the top setting the tone for Kendal’s performance all evening. The first attempt was flagged offside, but seconds later a long ball ended with a low shot which Horrigan saved low to push round the post.
After Kendal dominate the early exchanges, confusion in the Kendal defence almost let in Campbell whose shot went close to opening the scoring on 20 minutes.
On 22 minutes Kendal took the lead when a long ball into the box was only partially cleared by Horrigan’s punch. The ball bounced to Mayers who shot straight at Coulthard on the goal line, but the ball rebounded back to the Kendal player who slotted home at the second attempt.
Bishops weren’t behind for long, as a cross-field ball to Campbell sat up nicely for the debutant to lash home with a beautiful lobbed shot from almost 30 yards over a stranded ‘keeper.
On 34 minutes the Sheeran / Campbell partnership produced more fruit when Sheeran chased down a back-pass. The ‘keeper’s first touch took him into range of Campbell who put in a hard block tackle which knocked both players to the ground, but it was Campbell who was back up first and he clipped the ball into the net to give Bishops a 2-1 lead.
In first half injury time a good move between Sheeran and Campbell saw Newby fed in on the left but his low shot from a tight angle was not strong enough to trouble the Kendal ‘keeper.
Deep into stoppage time Kendal broke fast and with time to spare Ashcroft beat an advancing Horrigan. The ball was hacked from near the goal line by Coulthard but the linesman indicated that it had crossed the line to make it 2-2 going into the break.
Kendal looked the more dominant of the two teams in the second half and their best chance of the early play came on 53 minutes when a quick break resulted in a shot from 12 yards that cleared not only the posts, but also the wall behind the goal.
Bishops were having their opportunities though, and on 63 minutes Damon Robson’s shot/cross was fumbled out for a corner. The flag kick was glanced across goal by Sheeran to Campbell and although his low goal bound shot was hacked off the line, the ball flew to Oliver. After controlling the ball on his chest, Oliver struck a fierce shot through a crowd of players and it pinged off the inside of the right hand post and into the net to give Bishops an unexpected lead.
Despite some resolute defending Bishops succumbed to an equaliser on 83 minutes when a Kendal shot rebounded off the post to Foster who scored from inside the box.
Kendal continued to press for the winner, but Bishops defended well, and could have completed an astonishing victory when a clearance from deep into the Bishops half found Campbell just past the half way line with no defenders to be seen. The keeper came out of the area and got a foot onto the ball as Campbell attempted to steer it under his body forty yards from goal, and the ball rebounded to safety.
Soon after the final whistle blew. A good performance from the Bishops, with both hard work and attacking flair in abundance. This was a well deserved point against a strong side. Saturday’s trip to a resurgent Spalding United will give Brian Healy a real opportunity to record his first win managing the Two Blues and lift the team out of the relegation places.