Kendal Town welcomed Brighouse Town to Parkside Road ready for the FA Trophy second round qualifier on Saturday 17 th October 2020. The Mintcakes were set to play in their home black and white striped kit while the Oranges played in their forest green kit. While fans made their way to
the stands, the weather in the North East began to drop quite cold but the Kendal fans behind the goal soon created a fiery atmosphere.
It was the home side who got us underway but Brighouse were quick to gain possession as Reed was able to play a good ball to Grant who volleyed it up the pitch ready for Sorhaindo to break but was caught offside by linesman Curtis Wood. Just a minute later Church was able to cut inside from the left and get his shot away but it went well over the crossbar.
Kendal showed their first piece of threatening play of the game in the 5 th minute when Hodgson ran into space and played a pass to Birch on the left who created their first chance by crossing it in for Rodriguez who headed it over the bar.
Brighouse were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box in the 13th minute after an attempted break down the right by Keita came to a halt after being caught by Kendal’s Charlie Barnes leaving him with a yellow card. Two minutes later Sorhaindo was trying to find the first goal of the game but his shot was blocked by the back of Ngongo allowing the ball to go out for a corner, an excellent piece of defending from the home side. But Brighouse came looking once more but this time Keita crossed it straight into the gloves of Morgan Bacon. After a goal kick moments before, new Brighouse Town goalkeeper Jacob Carney was called into action to clear the ball but this time it went high allowing Fagan to bring it down and play it wide to Hodgson but the pass was too heavy and went out for a goal kick. In the 23rd minute Captain Kurt picked up an injury with a suspected broken toe and was subbed off the pitch with Mattock coming on and the arm band going to fellow defender Joe Wilkinson. We wish Kurt a speedy recovery and can’t wait for him to return to the pitch as quick as possible.
In the 31st minute a break by Kendal’s captain Emil Jaaskelainen allowed him to get into space and shoot into the bottom right of the net. There was nothing that keeper Carney could have done. A well timed and meticulous goal from the home side. Carney was called into action five minutes later as he produced an excellent save after a shot from Fagan 12 yards out, getting a strong hand too it and clearing it away from danger. A couple of minutes after, Carney produced another lifeline for Brighouse Town when Birch made a run and had a go on goal but Carney got down and calmly collected the shot. Sorhaindo tried to punish Ngongo once again after a powerful shot from the striker went straight into the face of the defender. It looked to be a sore one to take! Then, Kendal’s Jamie Hodgson was booked in the 39th minute after a professional foul on Javelle Clarke. A free kick by Grant on the right into the box allowed new captain Joe Wilkinson to head the ball just wide of the post. Smith came on the attack a minute later in the 44th minute as he played the ball to Keita on the left but he too put the ball wide.
Half Time: Kendal Town 1 Brighouse Town 0
As the second half was ready to get underway, a supporter’s dog sprinted on to the pitch and ran round for a couple of minutes keeping the entertainment of the day going. But once off the pitch, both sides were ready to continue. Brighouse had their first chance of the second half in the 55th minute when Grant’s corner landed right to Laurence Sorhaindo but he managed to put it over the bar. But Kendal were quick to
respond as Bamba drove up the pitch and had a shot firing it way over the bar. A couple of minutes later Sorhaindo came off for Jagger and one of the Kendal supporters said, ‘Is that Jack Grealish I thought he played for Villa?’ which made the surrounding supporters chuckle.
Jagger fell straight into the action when he squared it to Clarke who managed to get his shot away 12 yards out but it curled straight over the bar. Brighouse wanted to find an equalising goal and they started to give their everything. Mattocks ball in took a deflection back out but this time Jagger collected it and took a shot but their defending was excellent and blocked the shot of the substitute. Moments later things got really bad for Kendal’s Jamie Hodgson after a dangerous tackle on Mattock saw him receive a red from a second yellow card and they were down to a 10 men team. Church wanted to get involved in the action in the 73rd minute as a cross in showed the ball going just wide of the top right of the net. Kendal were quick to respond yet again when Rodriguez had a shot on the edge of the box but Carney was able to get down in time and collect the ball.
Another thing that must be mentioned is how superb Josh Grant played as CDM today some of the tackles and clearances he has made have been exceptional as well the team performance in the second half. Rodriguez wanted to try and win the fans hearts as he attempted an overhead kick less than 12 yards out but managed to put it miles wide of the net in the 77th minute. Brighouse were close to an equaliser when Keita headed the ball which looked to be going in the top right of the net but Bacon was there to produce an excellent save and collect the ball but he was flagged offside anyway. Substitute and also player manager Christopher Humphrey had the Brighouse Town team heart skip a beat when a drive up the left side of the pitch allowed him to get into space and take a shot which hit the side of the post in the 82 nd minute. Church managed to put the ball into the box once again after a good run up the pitch leaving Keita to take touch but fired it way over the bar. Brighouse were on the hunt once more in the 86th minute
when Jagger took yet another shot but it went just wide of the net. The away side were desperate for an equaliser but if they wanted something from the game, they needed it now. The final chance of the game came from Wilkinson as the corner was whipped in by Grant but the defender headed it over the bar. Full time Kendal Town 1 Brighouse Town 0
What a game! Brighouse Town were very unlucky not to get anything from the game today, they dominated the second half and wore out the defence of the home side. Even though it was a defeat it was a game where play looked positive for future matches. Congratulations to Jacob Carney for making his debut for Brighouse and roll on to the next game!
Todays Man of the Match was Captain for the rest of the game Joe Wilkinson. One of his best performances and a solid team performance a very deserving man of the match after the game he had today and this is one he should take positives from.
