Boro finish in style as Mintcakes crumble

Scarborough Athletic may not have reached the holy grail of the Evo-Stik North play-offs, but they have still had a season to remember.

Saturday’s 3-0 win at Kendal signed off an impressive finish to a campaign, which saw Boro collect their highest position in the history of the club.

It also suggests that there is so much more to come from joint-bosses Paul Foot and Bryan Hughes, as well as their in-form troops.

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The managerial pair now need to be allowed to act quickly after the season’s climax, as their shopping trolley full of potential targets are in danger of being snapped up by other suitors.

The current crop did an outstanding job of staking their own claims for next season at Kendal though, as they produced a confident display that made sure the Mintcakes crumbled.

Hughes and Foot threw out a very attacking side for the game and they were richly rewarded for this bravery.

There were no real fireworks in the first half, but after the interval Boro certainly lit the touchpaper.

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Ryan Blott was unlucky not to break the deadlock in the opening minutes, but he was denied by the save of Danny Eccles.

Kendal also looked a threat in the first period, with Ricky Mercer bending a free-kick just over and then top-scorer Jordan Connerton having his effort hacked off the line by Ben Middleton after he had rounded keeper Joe Cracknell.

So when Boro trudged off at the break they may well have been one or two concerned looks.

That worry soon evaporated as Boro began to switch through the gears when play restarted.

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Blott had another good chance just a handful of minutes in when he was played through on Eccles, but his shot was well saved. In the seconds that followed Gary Bradshaw smashed over the rebound.

Kendal then pressed the self-destruct button, beginning with some shoddy defending that allowed Tom Corner in to head home a Matty Plummer cross.

Then midfielder Tommy Watson had two goes at attempting to headbutt Boro’s Alex Metcalfe, leaving referee David Underwood with no option but to give him the first use of the soap.

Boro continued to bombard the home defence with crosses, and Dean Lisles was unfortunate not to convert one when Eccles held onto his header.

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Lisles’ defensive partner Middleton went one better soon after when he stooped in the Kendal area to flick Bradshaw’s header into the net for 2-0.

Blott wrapped things up just after the hour when he spun and sweetly volleyed home.

The arrival of Jimmy Beadle onto the pitch four minutes later set up an interesting final spell, as he, Blott and Bradshaw were all vying for the top-scoring honour.

Neither managed to extend Boro’s lead though, allowing Bradshaw to collect the title by just a single goal.

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In fact it was Kendal who finished the stronger, but a great save from Cracknell to deny Connerton made sure of his clean-sheet on what could be his last appearance for the club.

There were positives aplenty to take from this final outing, leaving appetites whet ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.