KENDAL Town manager Lee Ashcroft offers his views in Ashys Angle.

IT WAS no disgrace to lose to FC Halifax Town on Saturday and I have told the lads they have to keep their heads up.

We keep going until we are mathematically out of the play-offs but there is no question that Halifax are a top side and they will probably go on and win the league by 15 plus points.

In the first half we had them and they had to change the way they played to beat us.

We had two or three good chances in the first half and I was disappointed we didn’t go in in front at the break.

You can’t miss chances at this level against a top side and that has been our problem all season. We have created chances but have failed to put them away.

Keiran Walmsley has been great this season and he doesn’t miss from the spot and that is 12 or 13 goals for him so far this season and that is not a bad tally for a right back.

We battled well and kept playing the way I wanted to and on another day we may have got something out of the game.

It was frustrating to get it back to 2-2 and then being unable to hold on to it.

On Tuesday I thought we were the better side again and at 1-0 we weren’t ruthless enough to kill it off.

All the lads were outstanding against Stocksbridge. Apart from three minutes when the goals went in David didn’t have a save to make and we had total domination.

Midfielder Gary Stopforth has left the club because of the travelling, but Danny Wisdom is there here as a natural big 6ft lad and powerhouse and he will do well in the middle.

One real positive for us this season is that we are now fourth or fifth in the discipline league. In all the other seasons I have been here we have been bottom, so it is a great step forward for us.

I also want to wish Carlisle United well for their Wembley trip this weekend. I’m sure Gregg [Abbot] and the boys will give their all and it is important the fans go down and support them and bring a trophy back to the north.