ONCE again Rossendale managed to shoot themselves in the foot as they ended up losing a game they should have won comfortably.

Having bossed the first 45 minutes, coming in at the interval a goal up, they conceded two goals in the opening three minutes of the second half which condemned them to their fourth league defeat of the season.

Dale set off the better side and they took a deserved lead on 14 minutes, Russell Brierley curling the ball into the corner of the net following good work by Doni Clarke. Wes Kinney should have doubled the lead soon after but missed the target from ten yards and Clarke was denied by keeper Lee Ward who tipped his free kick over the bar.

They were made to pay for those missed chances inside a minute of the restart, Dave Foster's spectacular overhead kick finding its way into the top corner of the net. Stuart Cliff put the home side in front two minutes later, latching on to a long through ball before beating Matt Taylor and James Shepherd went close to making it three with a shot from distance.

Once United had recovered they resumed control of the game.

Brierley should have equalised with 25 minutes to go but his the keeper with his shot, and the Dale striker couldn't quite hook home another effort as Clarke's cross dropped just behind his run into the box.

Dale piled on the pressure towards the end as the Kendal defence started to wobble under the increasing pressure but despite all their efforts the Dark Lane side are still pointless on their travels after four matches.

KENDAL TOWN...2

ROSSENDALE UNITED...1