Kendal Town won 1-0 at Carlisle City in the latest pre-season game for the two non-League Cumbrian sides.
A header by Martin Grundy from a 17th minute corner was enough to give the North West Counties League side the victory.
It might have been more comfortable but Steve Yawson fired wide from the penalty spot; there were other missed chances and City keeper Scott Simons pulled off a number of top saves.
City manager Jim Nichols said: “It was disappointing from our point of view because we had nine or 10 players missing. But it’s better that they miss out now rather than when the League starts.
“We hope to have a number of those back on Tuesday when we play Workington Reds, so really I look at it as just a blip on the road because pre-season has gone well.
“We brought in Scott Simons from Carlisle United and he looks as though he is going to be a really good addition for us.”
Kendal chairman Michael O’Neill was well-pleased with his side’s continued unbeaten run in pre-season games.
“For a 1-0 I thought it was relatively comfortable and only a combination of a man of the match performance from their keeper and some pre-season finishing prevented it from being more.
“We are very happy with the way pre-season has gone and we’ve had a good variety of fixtures with games against teams above and below us in the pyramid.
“It’s quite clear that manager Jimmy Marshall and his new assistant Gavin Clark are hitting it off well and at it, while the players look fit and keen.
“We had a decent pre-season last year but didn’t make the League start we were looking for, but hope that we can improve on that this time.
“On Tuesday we have a game against Penrith and then on Saturday play AFC Blackpool before we start the League programme on July 29 against AFC Liverpool and we are all looking forward to it.”
