Meyers 'Steels' the show...

STRIKER and captain Kenny Mayers struck twice against fourth-placed Stocksbridge Park Steels to give Kendal Town an important away victory.

Town have not always taken their formidable home form with them on their travels, but on this occasion they displayed good character to recover from a goal behind and collect all three points.

The first chance of the game came in the first minute when David Foster shot wide of target with the home defence awaiting a never-to-arrive linesman's flag for offside.

Home striker Duncan Bray fired his side into a fifth-minute lead with a neat shot on the turn from the edge of the Kendal box, his drive beating keeper Mark Thornley low to his right.

Ricky Mercer then blazed the ball over the Stocksbridge crossbar and Gary Middleton had an excellent opportunity to extend the Steels lead, but his close-range header landed in the arms of Thornley.

In the 23rd minute Town lost full back Paul McMenemy through suspected ligament damage and he was replaced by Russ McKenna.

Goalscorer Bray out-stripped defender Nigel Taylor on 26 minutes and appeared to have been let in as Thornley hesitated but Taylor recovered well to land an important block.

A quickly-taken corner followed and Steve Hawes' dangerous cross eluded everyone to go for a goalkick.

As the home pressure mounted, recalled right winger Peter Smith had to head off the goal line to prevent Kendal falling further behind.

While the Kendal camp were looking for the interval to reassess their game plan, leading scorer Mayers, who bagged a hat-trick against Steels on the opening day at Parkside, netted a timely equaliser.

He forced the ball past keeper Steve Hodgson following a Foster centre just before the half-time whistle Kendal were much improved for the whole of the second period and had been the better side when Mayers directed Taylor's free-kick over Hodgson and into the net to make it 2-1.

Lee Ashcroft then came within a whisker of a third Kendal goal with a curling effort.

In a tense closing minute the Town defence held out as the home side pressed hard for an equaliser and the points deservedly went Kendal's way.

How they rated: Thornley 8; Rigby 8, Whittal-Williams 8, Taylor 8, McMenemy 7 (McKenna 8 from 26 minutes); Smith 8, Woodruffe 8, Mercer 8, Ashcrof 8; Mayers 9, Foster 8 (Jack 7 from 76 minutes).