Avenue crushed by Hobson hat-trick

1:18pm Sunday 9th November 2008

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Kendal Town 5, Bradford Park Avenue 0

It was an eventful day at the Lakeside Radio Stadium, with the fun starting for supporters even before kick-off when they picked up the match-day programme.

Avenue striker Stuart Rudd has been the subject of transfer speculation between the UniBond Premier Division rivals and the hierarchy at both clubs appeared caught between two stools just as much as the fans.

Rudd was on the prospective Kendal team-sheet printed in the programme but was actually in the Avenue starting line-up.

It was the aptly-named Wordsworth who began proceedings in the Lake District; not William but Thomas breaking the deadlock in the 11th minute.

Avenue were only still in the game at half-time because goalkeeper Jon Worsnop had made five outstanding saves in that period.

But Kendal top scorer Craig Hobson netted the first of his hat-trick just two minutes after the interval.

Avenue had no answers to the home side and even though the figures were massaged by three goals in the last six minutes, it was still a straightforward victory.

The Cumbrians may have gone into it feeling they had something to prove after suffering a heavy defeat on the same ground against Guiseley last time out.

They re-established their promotion credentials comfortably against an out-of-sorts Avenue.

Kendal defender Daniel Wisdom scored his side’s third goal in the 84th minute, before Hobson added the last two.

Avenue may have lost the match, and some ground in their bid for promotion, but spokesman Kevin Hainsworth had not lost his sense of humour.

“It was very even until we kicked off – the typical game of two halves really but they won both of them!” he said.

“The only bright spot of the day for us was that we found a beer and sausage festival on our journey. But seriously, they were a yard faster than us all over the pitch.

“Jon’s hard work and quick reactions helped us stay in it and even though it was very early in the second half when they went 2-0 up, it was game over from then on.”