Comeback kings

Kendal won 4-2 on penalties after extra time)

LOOKING dead-and-buried at 3-0 down Kendal Town Reserves stormed back to win the Westmorland Car Sales Senior Cup in a penalty shoot-out.

It was a glorious win for the runaway leaders of the Second Division who had to be content with runner-up medals last season, but showed that they will be a real handful in the First Division next year.

Appleby could have scored twice in the first 11 minutes, but for two superb saves by Kendal's Stuart Parkin who leapt to palm the efforts over the bar. On 20 minutes they also had what looked like a good shout for a penalty, but the referee ruled that Jamie Wilson's challenge was just outside the box.

Two minutes later Appleby took the lead, however, when a low cross into the box by Ian Parkin was rammed in from six yards by David Johnston.

Woeful Town defending saw them continually troubled by long balls artfully dropped over the central defenders and on 29 minutes one such move left John Coward one-on-one with the Kendal keeper. Parkin made another fine save, but Neil Dean seized on the loose ball and fired in for 2-0.

On 36 minutes Wilson dropped to his hands and knees in a vain attempt to head the ball back to his keeper, who then brought down the onrushing attacker. John Coward scored from the resulting spot kick.

In the second half Kendal were a changed side. They pinned Appleby back from the restart and in the 49th minute Appleby keeper Paul Crawford was the victor in a one-on-one with Chris Hayton, only to have his clearance slapped back in from 20 yards by Stephen Cross to make the score 3-1.

Just before the hour it became game on when a glancing header from Kevin Pickering on the end of a well-flighted long cross from Chris Hayton reduced the arrears to 3-2.

Sustained pressure, including some outstanding play from Kendal's Jamie Wilson and man of the match Gary Major forced Crawford to make a couple of good saves while Jimmy Ellwood hit the bar twice and also the post.

It looked as if Appleby would hold on, then from a corner in the 90th minute, Pickering force the ball in.

Extra time produced no goals but led to an incident-packed penalty shoot-out.

Hayton scored for Kendal, but Parkin saved from Paul Kinnear. Appleby's Crawford then saved from Mark Thompson, but the referee ruled that he had left his line early. Thompson netted the retaken spot kick to give Kendal a 2-0 advantage.

David Johnston reduced the deficit to 2-1, then Cross netted for Kendal and Coward for Appleby. Steve Hodgson blasted home to make it 4-2 to Kendal and when Paul Moffet skied the ball over the bar it was celebration time for Town Reserves.

April 11, 2003 10:00