"After elevating aspirations and confidence against Tynedale with a display that refuted the mounting suspicion that this Kendal team was out of its depth in the National League, a cruel twist of the fixture list sent a fragile side away to face the league's strongest team the very next week.

The fact that the Bees had been stung into action by the previous week's unscheduled reverse in their march up the league was all part of the irony, and nothing less than a team down on its fortune might expect.

Neither, in the circumstances, should we have expected anything less than the perfect playing conditions, nothing to introduce a random element, and no suggestion that the home side might be even marginally under strength.

The final piece in the puzzle was losing the toss and having to play against the wind, whilst Bradford mounted a significant first half lead.

Bradford did nothing that was unexpected, or unusual. They did, however, do everything faster, more accurately and more consistently than we could cope with, and maintained a pace of play that frequently left defenders in the open field dazzled like rabbits in the headlights.The metaphor did not end there.

As the home team's powerful carriers thundered over the goal line in the first quarter, there was more than a suggestion of roadkill as lightweight defenders were left in their wake, scattered across the field like a washing-line blown down in the wind.

There must have been premonition that this was going to be a bitter pill.

In days gone by, when the league table looked like an inverted version of the current unhappy tale, the front half of the bus would be packed like Langdale on a Bank Holiday with travelling supporters and committee men fastidiously discharging their duties.

On Saturday it was more like the remoter areas of the Howgills on a midweek afternoon in winter.

The players, however, are made of sterner stuff. Despite current fortunes, or, more accurately, misfortunes, there is a resolution in the camp to hang in and work to improve things through the application of unglamorous qualities such as hard work and selflessness.

This determination was evident in some outstanding individual displays against Bradford.

Billy Coxon's work rate and effectiveness were an inspiration to all around him, and a confirmation to anyone who required it that there is no better forward in the league.

Adrian Bateson and Dan Bowman conducted an immense amount of work at the coal face, albeit mining a fairly thin seam.

In the close quarters, there was little to choose between the teams; it was when rugby broke out on the open prairie that only one team could puncture the tackle line.

These qualities will be required in abundance in the weeks to come, as there is no magic solution to this unhappy plight.

It is, however, every bit a part of the game's compelling attraction that it provides men with the opportunity to discover what can be achieved when a group of people commit themselves to a task, however unpromising. We are in for the long haul.

All we can do is all we can do.