EASTWOOD Town dropped two more points at home after Craig Hobson's second-half equaliser sent Kendal back to the Lake District with a share of the spoils.

After a fairly long spell of management nodding through 'same again' selections, Paul Cox and John Ramshaw decided to act in an effort to get their team back to winning ways.

Ian Deakin came back for Shane Redmond - off on international duty with Ireland's under-21 side - and both Alistair Asher and Russell Cooke were restored to defence.

Paul Robinson took over from Simon Sturdy who had his nose broken against Guiseley and was on the bench as a precaution.

Ian Holmes and Matt Rhead got the nod as what appears to be a constantly changing strike force and two very recent signings, Chris Flynn and Ben Chapman, had to settle for a seat on the bench.

Kendal, on a very good recent run, fielded a very experienced squad and included recent loan signing from Hartlepool, striker Martin Young.

Early play was spoiled by that gusting wind which is a permanent weather feature at Coronation Park these days.

An intelligent set-piece masterminded by Paul Byrne saw a corner played short and laid in by Danny Wisdom but Lee Mulvaney's first-time chip was almost casually pocketed by Deakin.

Play swung towards the bowling green end and, although David Newnes smartly saved from Richard Dunning and Holmes, he was helplessly stranded when Rhead headed just past.

A flash of sheer brilliance from Andy Todd then capitalised on neat interplay between Dunning, Rhead and Holmes, taking the last named's precise pass in his stride.

The Rotherham striker strode in from the left and shot powerfully across Newnes and just inside his left-hand post.

Almost immediately, there could only have been centimetres between Eastwood and possibly cementing the league title.

Again the Badgers' lead-up work was tidy, fluent, compact and effective, and again Todd was striding purposefully in on Newnes. As with his goal, the shot was angled across goal and again left Newnes helpless but saw his head clutched in disbelief as the ball brushed the wrong side of the post.

The lakesiders came back resolutely and, when Young headed down in a packed goalmouth, Deakin sprang athletically to smother at Mulvaney's feet.

Again Deakin showed no sign of ring-rust as he very confidently held on to a corner and then a free-kick.

Despite a cry of 'well left, Ian!', I had the impression the keeper was completely beaten and very relieved when Young's header from Michael Cole's hard-driven cross inched past.

Minutes after the restart, the powerfully build Hobson replaced David Foster and within two minutes the newcomer got what was probably a deserved equaliser.

Cole made enough space out wide to cross teasingly and the usually reliable home central defenders were AWOL as Hobson rose unchallenged to crash a header past Deakin.

Frantic Eastwood pressure saw normally lethal strikers Holmes and sub Danny Holland guilty of at least two bad misses each and Rhead, shortly before he went off, and Smith, his replacement, were both, unluckily, just off-target.

Play had really turned frenetic and the fans were being entertained by end-to-end, non-stop thrills.

No sooner had Deakin denied Hobson with a reflex point-blank range save than Newnes was plunging full-length to smother a crossfield cross from Todd with both Holland and Holmes bearing down.

Holmes then headed wide from Flynn and, after Walmsley had tested Deakin, Eastwood's strike pair almost nicked a win.

Holland had a fierce shot blocked and Holmes looked to have a 50-50 late penalty claim as Tony Hallam and Dan Wordsworth sandwiched him ten yards out.

The all-pervading gloom so apparent after the Guiseley defeat descended again but, in truth, this was in immeasurably better showing by a much-changed Eastwood side.

Kendal proved exactly the tough opposition almost everyone expected and possibly one point here could yet prove vital in the title chase.

On the basis that Deakin at least three times saved Eastwood's bacon, he gets top billing - just ahead of Andy Todd.

One final bouquet to that most maligned of men - the referee. Martin Dexter is not everyone's favourite official but his ability to get and maintain discipline without ever resorting to a card will do me.

Eastwood Town
1 - Ian Deakin
2 - Alistair Asher (Danny Holland 58)
3 - Russell Cooke
4 - Richard Dunning
5 - Mark Hume
6 - Paul Robinson
7 - Lindon Meikle (Chris Flynn 58)
8 - Anton Foster (C)
9 - Ian Holmes
10 - Matt Rhead (Marc Smith 65)
11 - Andy Todd
Subs not used: Simon Sturdy, Ben Chapman
Attendance: 518
Referee: M Dexter (Leicester)
Best Badger - Ian Deakin

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