Individual errors proved costly as Harrogate Railway’s final game of the 2015/16 season ended in defeat at Kendal Town.
Harry Coates’ screamer gave Lee Ashforth’s men a tenth minute lead, only for Sam Bailey to level from the spot three minutes later following Lawrance Hunter’s foul.
Chandler Hallwood then endured a moment to forget as he diverted Bailey’s wayward shot into his own net to give The Mintcakes a half time lead.
Dan Towers added a third for the hosts after a failed clearance allowed the winger to fire home from close range and, despite the best efforts of Railway, put the contest out of sight.
Railway’s Manager made two changes from Monday night’s final home game, replacing Greg Kidd and Harry Brown with Matty Lovegreen and Coates.
The contest began in an even fashion with Will Kitchen easily claiming ever present Dan Thirkell’s free kick, on the day Railway’s skipper started his 48th and final game of the season.
Harrogate Town loanee Coates then produced a moment of magic to give Railway the lead as he collected possession in midfield and curled the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box.
The visitors had Simon Parkes to thank for keeping the lead intact though, as Railway’s full back headed Stuart McDonald’s goal bound header off the line.
The lead was short lived however, as Hunter was penalised for a foul just inside the penalty area according to the referee, allowing Bailey to strike the spot kick low past Hallwood.
The Bradford City stopper then made a terrific double save when, first he denied Alex Newby finishing off a clever Kendal move with a one handed save, then sprung to his feet to deny Liam Breslin smashing in the rebound.
The afternoon soon turned sour for Hallwood though, who went to collect Bailey’s shot that looked to be going wide, only to drop the ball through his own legs and over the line.
George Mason had looked sharp against his former club, and shot just over after 29 minutes, before Alex Low made an important block to stop Newby’s shot.
Parkes was next to make a crucial block for Railway, who threatened themselves, again through Coates sending another dangerous looking long range shot wide.
Ashforth made three changes at the break introducing Luca Mellor, Will Peers and Charlie Clamp, but it was Kendal who found the score-sheet within four minutes of the re-start.
Low’s clearance fell to Towers whose close range poke towards goal took a cruel deflection on its way past Hallwood.
The ‘keeper then had to be alert to keep out Newby at the near post, before Stephen Bromley met Mason’s cross only for his attempt to be blocked and Low to head over the resulting corner.
With 20 minutes to go, Kitchen was alert enough to rush out and block after Mason had nipped in to collect Coates’ deflected shot.
Newby’s performance up front for Kendal probably deserved a goal, and the striker nearly got one as he got the wrong side of Mellor and flashed a right footed shot across the face.
Hallwood then went some way to making up for his earlier mistake as he got the better of substitute Leon Gierke in a one on one situation.
In the final stages, Parkes and Clamp sent powerful long range strikes towards goal, though both were denied by good Kitchen saves as Kendal claimed all three points.
Harrogate Railway: Hallwood, Parkes, Hunter, Low, Lovegreen, Thirkell, Mason, Coates, Curtis, Ovington, Bromley
Subs not used: Wood, Stockdill
Goals: Coates 10
Booked: Ovington
Kendal Town: Kitchen, Aspin, Thomas (Gierke 77), McDonald, Freeland, Wardle, Towers (Parkin 63), Forbes, Newby, Breslin (Helliwell 77), Bailey
Subs not used: Thompson
Goals: Bailey 13, Hallwood OG 25, Towers 49
Referee: B Roberts
Report by Hal Boxhall-Dockree
Photography by Caught Light Photography
