Loyalty paying off for upwardly mobile County

His Division One side beat Ulverston 3-1 in a clash of the Cumbrians, as they moved up to third and level on points with their opponents.

Jack Tipler and Louis Bigland gave them a healthy lead at half time, which Jordan Chubb reduced seven minutes before full time.

However, Close’s son Ryan restored the two-goal advantage with just moments remaining and sealed the win for Kendal County.

“We hadn't played for a month,” said manager Close, “So, obviously going to their place, they were second in the table, an excellent team, well-organised, play good football - we knew what to expect.

“They’ve got arguably the best pitch in the league too but yeah we played very well, rode our luck at times but played some great football and controlled the game for a long period so we were very happy with it.”

This is Close’s second spell at Kendal County, having also been at Milnthorpe Corinthians, Caton United and neighbours Kendal United.

With games in hand on the two sides above them, he’s happy with what he’s seen since his return last summer.

“The club and team had struggled for the last few seasons and the main focus was on recruitment, bringing the right lads in but also making sure that we kept the core of the lads who remained at the club and kept the foundation of the team really.

“Those lads who have stayed with the club throughout the various challenges, they are who we build the team on.

“They are a brilliant set of lads, they show loyalty and it was vitally important to keep them involved.

“It’s going well. As you'd expect when you bring new players in, it takes a little bit of time to bed them in, but we started well.

“In this league, you’ve got to have a good August, and we did.

“Our only three defeats of the season, we could argue, were down to factors beyond our control.

“We’ve progressed very well and we’ve seen that in training and on the pitch.

“Probably ever since October, we’ve reached the levels that we need to reach.”

Close says there is a ‘great feeling’ around what seems to be a very tight-knit football club.

“The volunteers have stuck with the club, we’ve got Dan Ferguson who has many roles and he epitomises everything about the club.

“We’ve got a fan base who have stuck with us too and the good performances are filtering right through into a good feeling.

“Our reserves side are top of their league and playing some good football too.

“There’s nearly 30 lads at every training session from both squads and we’re always looking to progress and we’re just making sure we’re doing things properly.

“It’s just building a foundation really, not just for now but for going forward and bringing success back to the club.

“This club, historically, at this level, are the best in Kendal and it's kind of been a bit of a sleeping giant at local level, so to speak, but you can just feel that, we're coming back to where we belong.”

Elsewhere in Division One, Croston kept their promotion hopes alive with a hard-fought 3-0 win over Turton.

The visitors, fresh from their 5-2 win at Holker Old Boys last week, were hugely impressive for the first 20 minutes as they dominated possession against their startled hosts.

Danyil Prudnikov’s fine turn and shot brought a smart save from Steve Bolton in the home goal but they couldn’t turn their possession into clear chances.

Croston grew into the game and went ahead in the 33rd minute with a moment of quality – Luke Blockley’s delicious cross sidefooted home at the back post by Ashton Zitnik.

Ryan Thompson doubled the lead on the hour when his inswinging cross evaded everyone in the box to nestle into the far corner.

Bolton had to be alert to parry Tyler McCarthy’s stinging effort before Kurt Robinson sealed the win for Stuart Birch’s men with 10 minutes left, slamming home from close range after his penalty was saved by the unfortunate Will Handley.

Bottom side Slyne with Hest picked up a vital away win as they defeated promotion hopefuls Pause United 3-2.

Leaders Hesketh Bank secured another comfortable win as they saw off Crooklands Casuals 3-0, while the side playing catch-up in the division, Carnforth Rangers, claimed an important 3-2 victory at Lytham Town and Freckleton triumphed 2-1 versus Askam United.

In the Premier Division, Hurst Green earned a comprehensive 5-1 win at Coppull United.

The new fourth-placed side struck early through Scott Craven but were brought back to level terms only a few minutes later by Coppull’s Tom Dearden, however the visitors took control afterwards.

Jack Burgess reclaimed their lead on 15 minutes and Craven added his second as half time approached.

After the break, Burgess secured a brace too and Jordan Monk’s goal rounded off the five-star display.

Haslingden St Mary’s were another team who secured a big away win on Saturday.

They defeated Whitehaven 4-0 thanks to Leon Barker-Williams and Lewis Hanley (2) and an own goal early in the second half.

Samir Sobeih was Astley & Buckshaw’s hat trick hero as they won 4-2 at Cleator Moor Celtic.

Rossendale also scored four in their game at CMB, they came out of the blocks quickly in a 4-1 win.

Millom came from a goal down to beat second placed Lostock St Gerards 2-1 thanks to a late Ben Macdonald penalty, while Blackpool Wren Rovers came away from Tempest United as 3-1 victors.

There was a seven-goal thriller in Division Two as Thornton Cleveleys Reserves scored a last-minute winner at Charnock Richard Reserves.

It seemed that Charnock had a response for everything that the visitors asked of them, with the hosts replying to Horatio Medley’s double and an own goal with strikes from Ethan Eccleston, Ian Billington and Pedro Dos Santos.

That was until the 91st minute where Harvey Gregory scored the decisive goal which keeps the ever-entertaining Thornton Cleveleys Reserves fourth.

Appley Bridge denied Galgate a second half comeback in brutal fashion as they came away 6-2 winners.

Two from Liam Hilton and another from Mattias Lokuta gave them a seemingly comfortable 3-0 win at the half time whistle, but Galgate responded well in the second.

Ryan Cunningham and Oliver Jordan scored midway through the second half but, just as it looked like Galgate could go and complete the comeback, Danny Atkins bagged Appley Bridge’s fourth and went on to secure a hat trick.

Storeys hit their opponents for six too with a little help from their own hat trick hero.

Reece Pearce scored three after a Noah Hindley double, before Rory Harding rounded off the scoring in a 6-0 win over Walney Island.

Euxton Villa defeated Hawcoat Park 5-0, leaders Fulwood Amateurs Reserves recovered from a losing position to beat Bamber Bridge Reserves 2-1 and Garstang drew 1-1 with Dalton United.

In Reserve Division One, Blackpool Wren Rovers Reserves won 4-3 against a resilient Turton Reserves side.

Hesketh Bank Reserves won 3-1 away to Eagley Reserves in a clash between two sides whose first teams are bossing their respective divisions; the goal action was all done by minute 29.

Elsewhere, Lostock St Gerards Reserves are up to second after a 3-0 win against Coppull United Reserves, Chipping Reserves saw off CMB Reserves 4-0, Poulton Reserves edged out Haslingden St Mary’s Reserves 3-2 and Tempest United Reserves won 2-1 at Carnforth Rangers Reserves.

Reserve Division Two saw three big wins, the largest coming from Rossendale Reserves who defeated Pause United Reserves 7-0.

The division’s top two both picked up 5-1 wins: Hurst Green Reserves and Astley & Buckshaw Reserves enjoyed those big victories over Lytham Town Reserves and Milnthorpe Corinthians Reserves respectively.

It was a crucial weekend for some of our sides in county cups.

The quarter finals of the Westmorland Senior Cup saw Milnthorpe Corinthians progress past Wetheriggs United in a 4-0 win and Kendal United see off Endmoor KGR 4-2 as they booked their places in the semi finals.

In the last eight of the Lancashire Amateur Shield, Mill Hill were 1-0 victors over Stoneclough in an all-West Lancs tie, while Eagley, Langho and Poulton all bowed out.