A POSITIVE performance ended in defeat for Kendal Town as they lost 2-1 to second placed Ramsbottom United at The ST & B Accountants Stadium.

Despite there being 17 places between the two teams, Kendal more than held their own, creating the better opportunities throughout the game.

Emil Jaaskelainen opened the scoring for Kendal after 58 minutes, before an innocuous penalty decision saw Nic Evangelinos score for the visitors.

With just three minutes left in the game Luke Thompsons header saw Ramsbottom edge to the win while Kendal crashed to their fourth consecutive league defeat.

Kendal went into the game on the back of two heavy defeats to both Workington and Marske United, while Ramsbottom were playing their first game for a while after suffering successive postponements due to the weather.

However, Kendal made the better start and were nearly 1-0 up within the first ten minutes when a free kick into the box was headed over the bar by Emil Jaaskelainen.

Steve Edmondson’s team continued to impose themselves and created opportunities through Kieran Maguire who blazed over before seeing his long distance effort on goal rebound off the inside of the crossbar.

Ramsbottom began to grow into the game at the midway point of the first half after Nic Evangelinos saw his free kick well saved by Morgan Bacon. Jaaskelainen nearly scored for Kendal with another free header which went over the bar as both teams went in all square at the break.

Kendal continued to impress during the second half with Maguire once again making inroards while Jaaskelainen saw his effort on goal fall agonisingly wide from a quick counter attacking move which saw Kendal break with pace.

Town broke the deadlock on 58 minutes when another counter attack saw Jaaskelainen cut inside the penalty area before placing the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Once the goal went in Ramsbottom began to play the ball forward and cause more problems after Josh Hmami fired his effort at Bacon from close range.

Kendal continued to look dangerous with Keighran Kerr firing his effort at visiting shot stopper Tom Stewart.

Ramsbottom equalised against the run of play on 71 minutes after being awarded a penalty by the referee.

Nic Evangelinos stepped up and sent Bacon the wrong way with a clinical finish into the right hand side of the net.

Ramsbottom, spurred on by the goal, pushed for the winner and after 87 minutes there was agony for Kendal after a deep corner in from the left was headed into the net by Luke Thompson as Ramsbottom edged in front.

Kendal sent everyone forward in injury time for a corner, but the visitors held out to secure the win while Kendal crashed to defeat.