Kendal Town 3, FC United of Manchester 1 KENDAL keeper Tom Newton scored a goal and saved a penalty in an action-packed encounter at Parkside Road.

With the scores level at 1-1, Newton delivered a standard kick from his hands into the United half on 52 minutes. The ball bounced once near the halfway line, but it was the second bounce towards the edge of the FC box which had opposition keeper James Spencer floundering. As the wind and rain pushed the ball on, Spencer could not quite claw the ball away, and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

It was an entertaining affair in which FC United bossed the first half of the match. Centre-back Adam Jones headed two efforts wide after a barrage of United corners, while Jake Cotterell had a 20-yard strike deflected onto a Kendal post as the home side rode their luck.

But somehow Kendal went in at the break 1-0 up. Mark Jackson, who has started the season brilliantly for Kendal, danced around two players on the edge of the Manchester box, and placed an exquisite finish into the left hand corner.

As usual, FC United brought their legion of fans, with 635 people gracing Parkside Road, and the travelling supporters were given something to cheer about just 60 seconds into the second half.

Mike Norton threaded a through ball which beat the Kendal offside trap, leaving United with two strikers against Newton. Michael Carr squared the ball for Mathew Wolfenden, who slotted the ball into an empty net for a deserved equaliser.

But five minutes later, Newton’s freak goal put Kendal back in the lead.

And the Black and Whites got a third on the hour mark after a stinging Ciaran Donnelly effort was parried by Spencer. The ball was cut back to the edge of the area and Donnelly moved in to fire into the back of the net.

FC United kept up the pressure - a fine effort from Norton resulting in a great save to his right from Newton on 65 minutes. Kendal also had a chance when the United keeper was forced to punch a ball to safety after great pressure from Danny Williams.

Five minutes later, Cotterell lobbed a great ball for Wolfenden, who tried to flick the ball past Kendal captain Marc Joseph. But the referee judged Joseph to have handled, and awarded a penalty.

Up stepped subsititute Steve Torpey with the penalty, but Newton produced a sensational dive low to his right to keep the effort out, before a United player blazed the ball over the bar.

The rest of the game ebbed and flowed as both teams searched for another goal, but Kendal prevailed to a win which lifts them up to third in the table, just one point behind joint leaders Chorley and Northwich Victoria.