Kendal Town 2
Tadcaster Albion 2
A STUNNING second half comeback saw Kendal Town continue their BetVictor League revival as they stormed back from two down to grab a draw against high flying Tadcaster Albion.
In a thrilling contest watched by a crowd of 177, a marked improvement on recent Town gates, Patrick Allington's unstoppable free kick deep into stoppage time led to rapturous scenes.
Just as the Mintcakes stunned the visitors when they bagged a 2-1 victory in the return fixture just seven days earlier, they di the same on their own patch to the Yorkshire side, Kieran Maguire’s clinical strike from distance halving the two goal half time deficit on 56 minutes before rescuing a point with that last gasp Allington strike to stretch their undefeated league run to three games.
Kendal went into the game full of confidence after two straight away wins, but Town manager Steve Edmondson was without both Emil Jaaskelainen and Toby Twiname.
New signing Gokhan Can started in midfield after only arriving in the country on Friday, but he and his new colleagues could do little to halt an early onslaught by Tadcaster who clearly had a point to prove following last week's game.
And they created the first opportunity just 30 seconds into the game when Jake Day flicked his effort narrowly wide of the post.
Kendal responded moments later when loan man Keighran Kerr dragged his attempted strike wide, while Sean Paterson cut inside the penalty area before firing his effort wide.
Both teams looked a threat going forward in an entertaining game but Tadcaster had the edge in terms of clear cut opportunities as Day and Donald Chimlilo repeatedly caused problems for the Kendal defence.
And that home rearguard was finally breached on the half hour mark.
A clinical cross into the area from Jacob Rose fell to Bokinji Lebrun whose initial header was saved by Morgan Bacon only for Lebrun to knock home the rebound from close range.
The visitors should have gone 2-0 up soon after when Day's strike rebounded off the post.
But they were not to be denied and the visitors finally did double their lead on the stroke of half time when Jack Walters' clinical left footed strike from Will Annan’s corner nestled into the net.
That left Kendal with a huge challenge in the second half and they almost fell further behind shortly after the break when Chimlilo fired over from distance.
But Town were far from finished and they hauled themselves back into the game on 56 minutes when former Workington man Maguire unleashed an unstoppable effort from distance which found the top corner.
Buoyed by the goal, the Mintcakes pushed Tadcaster back.
Maguire’s long range effort went narrowly wide while Joseph Dickson’s close range strike on goal was well saved by Michael Ingham as Town probed for a leveller.
But the visitors could have extended their lead through Adam Porritt and Day, who flicked his effort just wide, while Annan's 22 yard strike on goal flew just over the bar.
However, it was Kendal who had the last laugh as Allington's precise free kick found the net leaving Ingham in the Tadcaster goal stranded to earn the Mintcakes what could be a crucial point in the team’s battle for BetVictor League survival.
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