Kendal..........................2 Liverpool Sefton..........2 KENDAL'S first match of the year in North West Division Five (North) was a patchy affair, which left visitors Liverpool Sefton more pleased with the draw than the home side.

Liverpool were the first to exert any spell of pressure, when they forced a series of short corners which Kendal managed to fend off.

The home side then began to settle and their midfield players began to run with the ball with increasing confidence, shifting the balance of the game in their favour.

Liverpool's goalkeeper produced two particularly good saves, the first with his left instep and the second reaching high to his right to deflect a rocket of a shot.

As the match went on, more and more players felt it necessary to argue with the umpires, which made little difference other than to concede ten yards each time the umpire deemed a comment inappropriate.

Kendal took the lead when Dave Elleray, with his first of two goals of the game, was in the right place at the right time to hammer home a ball across the goalmouth.

Liverpool equalised and then drew ahead, first by prodding in a ball that should have been cleared and, second, with a strong finish after Kendal's defence stood back too far.

The points were shared, despite Kendal finishing the stronger, when Elleray took his second with as much aplomb as the first, smashing in a short distance shot which left the keeper with no chance.

Windermere....................1 Lytham St Anne's 5ths 2 NW Division Nine high-fliers Windermere suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday but are still three points clear of their nearest rivals with a game in hand.

Because of the winter break and the previous week's storms, Windermere had been out of match action since late November, and it showed with Lytham opening at a tremendous pace and Windermere struggling to match them.

Lytham forced a series of short corners in the first quarter and eventually bagged the goal they deserved.

Inspirational defending by Dominic Quill, Paul Hodgson and Mark Kendrick then steadied Windermere's ship and the whole team gradually began to rediscover their midfield bite and cohesion.

A short corner gave Ed Waterhouse a well hit equalising goal and it was all to play for in the second half.

Chances were created and missed at both ends, and Windermere goalkeeper Andrew Darling was in vigorous action, before Lytham got free in the D for the winning goal, giving Windermere a timely wake-up call as they progress into the second half of their season.

n In Division Two, Glaxo 1st drew 3-3 at home to Bebington 2nd while Glaxo 2nd lost 7-3 away to Wigan 3rd in Division Six (North).