Clitheroe let slip an early lead and were ultimately undone by a stand-out performance from former Morecambe player, Steven Yawson, who led the home defence a merry dance all day.

It had started very brightly, with Ollie Wood latching on to a suicidal back pass after four minutes. Having been pulled down by the keeper, who was lucky to stay on the pitch, he then coolly dispatched the resultant spot kick. Kendal showed signs of intent on 11 minutes, but a scudding cross from the left missed any visiting players, and two minutes later a long-range drive skimmed the Clitheroe bar. Wood was next to show on 16 minutes, when his flash header from a long throw was instinctively saved by the keeper.
Jacob Gregory had a long distance shot and Wood forced another good save from an instant shot. Keeper Ed Wilczynski had a wobble on 23 minutes when his clearance sliced to an opposing forward and he was in luck that the resultant lob went wide as he scrabbled back to goal. Debutant Adam Morning, so often Clitheroe’s nemesis, had a great cross into the box, before Wood and Obi Anoruo conspired to give an offside when a goal looked more likely.
The complexion of the game changed on 32 minutes, when a burst down the Kendal left saw a deep cross headed back unchallenged at the far post by Yawson into the goal. Barely had the crowd’s silence abated before a hopeful Kendal hoof up field was caught by the keeper above his head on the line, before it spilled out and trickled agonisingly over the line.

The game was over as a contest on 47 minutes Yawson went on a slaloming run and buried the ball to give the keeper no chance. Shortly afterwards, Jay Jeffries had to be at his best when sliding a tackle in when under enormous pressure. Antoine Resizac had a good run and shot and Anoruo had a good shot well saved, but the Kendal defence held firm and saw the game out with few problems.

Team : Ed Wilczynski, Jacob Gregory, David Thompson (c), Jason Jefferies, Derek Ubah, Joe Mitchell (James McLean-Oppong), Antoine Recizac, Josh Gregory (Max Hazeldine), Ollie Wood, Obi Anoruo, Adam Morning. Subs - Max Hazeldine, James McLean-Oppong. Not used - Macauley Harewood, Kyle Trennery, Lee Ashforth.