Three out of three for rampant Boro

Steve Kittrick has now led Boro to three straight wins in all competitions, two of which have forced them away from the Evo-Stik North relegation quagmire.

There was no escape from the marshy conditions on Saturday though, as the downpours left the pitch glistening with surface water.

The mood of the Boro management team was also dampened by a deluge of absences.

Experienced former Huddersfield Town and Halifax man Matt Glennon stood in for Nick Draper between the sticks, while Dean Lisles and Matty Bloor also missed out.

Matters darkened further after half-an-hour when full-back Nathan Peat was forced to exit the field because of a possible hernia.

By that point, the game had levelled out, with Boro probably edging the proceedings.

The hosts made a bright start, as Tom Corner had a good opportunity in the sixth minute, but he stabbed over from close range.

Eddy Birch then headed just wide, before Glennon showed the first glimpses of his quality.

Oliver Newby found some space on the edge of the Boro six-yard box and side-footed at goal. Glennon smartly stuck out a leg and diverted the ball to safety.

Boro began to shift through the gears after this, and after another fine effort from Birch and a string of corners, they made their breakthrough.

Birch rose majestically to meet Mallory's delivery from the left. His downward header sailed through a sea of boots and settled in the back of the net.

As the time ticked on towards the break, Boro could have added further goals to boost their cause.

Robson picked out a well-placed Corner in the box, but he completely mistimed his volley.

Then Ryan Blott's free-kick shuddered the bar and, in the moments that followed, Dave Merris drilled in a effort that bounced off the frame of the goal.

The break yielded a spell of tranquility when the new half began, in fact it took 15 minutes for anything of note to happen.

Boro thought they had doubled their lead on the hour when Glenn Matthews skipped through and picked out the bottom corner, but his joy was curtailed by the flag of the assistant.

Blott then had a shot cleared off the line after some fine approach play from Corner, before the sodden Boro fans were warmed by another super save from Glennon.

Tom McNamee's header was too weak and it sent Charlie Bailey in on the Boro goal. Glennon pounced at the striker's feet and allowed McNamee the chance to atone for his error.

Play swung from end to end after this, with Newby dragging a low effort just past Glennon's post and then Blott fired high and wide when in on goal.

Blott's shooting boots may not have been in top nick, but his creative flair was there for all to see.

With the game creeping towards its conclusion, Blott flicked an enticing ball into the path of Corner and the confidence-filled frontman rifled into the net with his first touch.

The fingernails then began to take a battering as Kendal launched a late bid for parity.

With two minutes of injury-time played, Danny Forbes flicked home a free-kick to deny Glennon a debut-day clean-sheet.

But Boro had too much about them to throw it all away as they had so many times this season. Instead they hung on resolutely for another three vital points.