Kendal Town 2, Morecambe 3.

Two giveaway goals cost Kendal victory over Conference League side Morecambe.

Town twice led this game played in torrential rain with goals of high quality, but miscalculations by keeper Lee Ward robbed them of claiming a prestigious scalp.

New look Town took the game to Morecambe from the outset and in the 19th minute a superbly fklighted free-kick by Lee Ashcroft found Dene Whittal-Williams soaring above the defence to head firmly into the net from eight yard.

The lead lasted just 30 seconds when Ward allowed an innocuous looking ball to roll past him towards the goal line. Instead it was slowed by the sodden grass, hit the post and stopped dead for the rapidly following up Lee Dodson to tap it in.

On the half-hour Ricky Mercer headed on to the Morecambe bar and, in the 40th minute as Town continued to dominate play Kenny Myers received the ball 20 yards out with his back to goal, tuned and fired a peach of a shot just under the bar.

Ten minutes after the interval it was all square when Kendalian Gary Thompson, a long-time Morecambe star, went on a solo raid finishing with a rising shot which Ward could only palm into the top corner of the net.

In the awful conditions 2-2 would have been a reasonable result, but in the 65th minute Morecambe purted a long ball back to Town after a stoppage for an injury.

Although forwards were closing in Ward could have allowed the ball to go dead for a goal-kick. Instead he opted for a suicidal pass out across the face of his own goal. With defenders out of position it fell to the feet of Terry McFlynn who could hardly have missed the open goal yawning before him.

The mistakes were disappointing, for the tall keeper had made several good saves from close range and shown command in the air in dealing with Morecambe crosses.

Despite the result there was much to indicate that Tony Hesketh's squad can do well in the UniBond First Division. Of the new boys, Ashcroft appears to be a classy playmaker; Myers a strong and skilful striker and Lee Clitheroe fast enough to outdistance most other players in the league.

The game also saw the introduction of ex-Lancaster City player Paul McMenemy, a tough left back who will certainly upset many opponents.