KENDAL took a dangerous step towards relegation from North West division five (North) when they lost 2-1 away to St Helens, one of only two teams below them.

With no wins since October, the situation looks increasingly threatening for Kendal, as a gap is beginning to appear between the club and the safe zone in the middle of the table.

Kendal began the game quite sharply and took control with generally sound positional awareness and accurate passing.

Twice in the first half, Kendal's Galloway had goals disallowed when the umpire blew for a defensive foul just as the ball was whistling towards the back of the net.

Near the end of the half, a slick passing move allowed Galloway to turn sharply and, this time, give Kendal the lead.

All the good work of the first period was wasted after the break, however, when Kendal's structure broke down.

St Helens equalised with a short corner routine past prone goalkeeper Chacko, then drew ahead when Bloxham made a poor pass which was intercepted by a home forward who rounded Kendal's defence to score.

The team will need to tighten its defence, play possession hockey and score more goals if it is not to be relegated.

n WINDERMERE Men took another step closer to NW division nine promotion with a convincing 3-0 victory over Southport 5ths at Ormskirk on Saturday.

After surviving a couple of early breakaways, Windermere began moving the ball more swiftly through midfield, frequently catching Southport's square. Ed Waterhouse should have put Windermere ahead in a one-on-one but he fired into the goalkeeper's pads.

However, he quickly made amends with a crisp strike at the end of another well-worked move and then flying winger Sam Crompton fired high into the net with a thunderbolt of a shot.

Southport were forced on to the back foot for much of the second half and Sam Crompton secured Windermere's victory with a third goal, sweeping in from the right, exchanging passes and then finishing in style.

The game was marred by Dave Spiby sustaining a serious hand injury when a Southport defender took a wild swing at a ball that had already gone, but with just five games to go and a match in hand on their nearest rivals, division leaders Windermere are once more masters of their own destiny.

n WINDERMERE Men's Sunday Association side was also in action at the weekend, playing a Carlisle side largely composed of veterans at Cockermouth.

The result was a 2-2 draw with reverse stick goals by Windermere junior Peter Simm and Steve Heynes in reply to short corner goals by Carlisle.