Pre-Season Friendly

Kendal Town 0, Carlisle United 3

KENDAL Town put in an encouraging performance despite losing 3-0 to fellow Cumbrians Carlisle United tonight.

Town fans will have been particularly pleased with the performance of key man Kevin Leadbetter, who looked sharp as he operated his usual 'shoot on sight' philosophy, while skipper Marc Joseph was given a full 90 minutes and put in a few no-nonsense tackles, as is his norm.

As to be expected from a side four leagues above Town, Carlisle controlled large portions of the match, particularly in the second half as Town boss Lee Ashcroft made changes.

But Kendal were not without chances, and perhaps should have punished some lax defending by Carlisle United ealy on, Leadbetter unable to make the most of a mistake by keeper Mark Gillespie on the edge of the box as Danny Livesey recovered well for the visitors in the eighth minute.

Kendal were playing it long for pacy triallist Josh Kenworthy, who looked lively spearheading the Black and Whites frontline.

With 16 minutes on the clock Danny Williams was put through one-on-one with the keeper after a tremendous one-two on the edge of the box with Kenworthy, but he couldn't make the most of his chance.

Former Wigan Athletic man Josh Welsby started in goal again for Kendal, and he needed all of his six foot five inches to tip a Danny Cadamarteri header over the bar midway through the first half.

He looked a real presence in goal until he was replaced at half time by Craig Dootson, who made his first appearance of the season.

Town produced two quick chances on 24 minutes, Leadbetter putting a tad too much swerve on one great effort from outside the area, while Gillespie made a tremendous save off Williams after he found some space in the box.

But League One Carlisle took the lead after 34 minutes. Lee Miller was left with a simple header from two yards out after Itallian triallist Alexandro Bugno and journeyman Cadamarteri combined well on the left for Carlisle.

Leadbetter was denied by Gillespie twice after he let rip another couple of rasping efforts, but United doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time when the impressive Matty Robson was put through to finish in off the post despite looking offside, and Kendal faced an uphill struggle from then on in.

Carlisle rang the changes at half time, with the Black and Whites following suit not long into the second half.

James Berrett hit the post five minutes into the second period for Carlisle while Danny Wisdom couldn't quite get his foot onto an Adam Farrell cross that somehow missed a sea of bodies in the six-yard box.

The Brunton Park side made it three when Paddy Madden's header hit the bar, leaving a clear passage for Mark Beck to nod the ball in with the clock striking 68 minutes.

And Carlisle controlled possession as Kendal started to fade in the final 20 minutes to a secure a 3-0 visitors for the League One outfit in front of 605 fans at Parkside Road.

Starting Line-ups Kendal Town: Welsby, Leigh, Alexander, Tucker, Joseph (c), Wisdom, Farrell, Randall, Kenworthy, Williams, Leadbetter.

Subs: Dootson, Malin, Barron, Wright, Duggan, Knowles, Corless, Kilifin.

Carlisle United: Gillespie, Simek, Robson, Livesey, Thirlwell (c), Hopson, Todd, Lyndsey, Bugno, Cadamarteri, Miller.

Subs: Collin, Blakey, Meades, Chantler, Edwards, Potts, Berrett, Noble, Welsh, Madden, Beck,