Kendal Town 1 AFC Blackpool 3: First-half goals set up friendly success

Goals from Jamie Thomas, an own goal and Key Leyland sealed an impressive victory for Martin Baird’s side.

AFC made a lively start to the game, looking to attack the home side.

Carnan Dawson looked to pick out Ben Roberts early on but Kendal met the ball first to clear, while Thomas sent an effort wide.

Kendal tested AFC when a clever, bending run saw them get in behind the backline, only for Alex Cameron and a trialist defender to close down the striker and clear.

It was AFC who opened the scoring through a moment of magic from Thomas.

Having been fouled on the edge of the box, he picked out the top corner from the resulting free-kick.

However, it didn’t take long for the home side to reply as a free-kick ended with a header being sent past Cameron to make it 1-1.

AFC didn’t let their heads drop and continued to attack Kendal, and with pressure mounting, a second goal followed.

Jacob Aspinall, making his first start, found Dawson up from the back and his fierce cross was subsequently turned into his own goal by one of the Kendal defenders.

Billy McKenna had a chance to extend the lead moments before half-time after being played in by Corey Harrison but could only find the stand behind the goal.

Leading 2-1 at half-time, AFC made a couple of changes after the break.

One of those changes made an instant impact as Leyland popped up at the right time to turn in Adam Sumner’s free-kick.

The half was perhaps disrupted by changes but AFC never looked under threat.

Ben Duffield came close to scoring when he joined the action, latching onto a cross but heading over.

The win signalled another good workout against higher level opposition as they prepare for the home FA Vase tie with Knaresborough on Saturday, September 19.

AFC Blackpool: Cameron, Bishop, Trialist, Donaghy, Dawson, Sumner, Thomas, Roberts, Aspinall, Harrison, McKenna. Subs: Charnley, Buchan, Duffield, Higham, Leyland, Cassidy.