[I]n Westmorland county football, there were three Quarter Finals of the Westmorland FA Junior Cup at the weekend, and Carleton Banks progressed with a 4-0 win over Windermere SC Reserves.
Aaron Newton scored two for the Soccermoos, there was another goal for Corrie Pearson and a 25 yard strike from Darren Wilson, and Carleton Banks progress to the Semi Finals.
Dent also beat Penrith Academy with a 4-0 scoreline, with their goals courtesy of Alistair Bainbridge who had a hat trick and a Ben Sedgwick goal as Academy paid the price for too many mistakes against a team from a senior division. In the third Quarter Final, Appleby Reserves lost 0-2 at home to Burton Thistle. Keswick Reserves meet Kendal United Reserves in the last Quarter Final at Kendal next weekend.
In the James Cropper Westmorland League, there was one High Sheriff’s Cup tie, and Endmoor lost another close match, and again by a single goal, 0-1 at home to Penrith AFC Reserves. The only goal came from Kyle McClean. The close victory came courtesy of a man of the match performance from Penrith’s keeper Stu Forrester, who made three big saves to give the Blues the win
In Division One, Keswick stay top with a 2-1 home win over Ibis. In another game that should have been easily settled by Keswick but wasn’t, the home side went ahead from two first half goals from Sam Reilly and Richard Bannister, and then had more than enough chances to have had comfortable lead, with Alfie West heading over the bar twice.
But nothing more went in and Keswick were just 2-0 ahead at half time. In the second half Keswick continued to misfire in front of goal, and efforts from Bannister, Declan Robinson, Karl Southern, West and even Stephen Hilton all came to nothing, and Keswick then had to suffer a late fightback from Ibis which saw Chris Ellwood grab a goal back with just two minutes to go.
But the two early goals were enough to give Keswick the win, the three points and keep them top of the League. Second placed Appleby also had a close win, and by the same margin, with a 1-2 away victory at Windermere SC. Appleby’s goalscorers were Antony Lund and Bobby Atkinson, but it was a excellent one handed save late on from Appleby’s keeper Tony Ousby that guaranteed the three points. In a 4-4 draw, Shap earned a a well deserved point away from home at the Old Showfield, Kirkoswald.
From 2-1 down at half time to 4-2 up after a barnstorming start to the 2nd half, Shap’s goals came from Sam Wood and a Jordan Palmer hat trick; Kirkoswald then scored two more to make the final result 4-4. The KO goals were from a brace each for Niall Renwick and Reece Simpson. Finally in Division One, Sedbergh Wanderers recorded a welcome 2-3 away win at Ambleside United, with the Wanderers’ goals from Andrew Burrow, Dale Metcalfe and Dean Raw
In Division Two, and with Dent and Carleton Banks both in Cup action, third placed Keswick Reserves took the opportunity to close the gap at the top, hammering six past AFC Carlisle at Sheepmount in Carlisle. The Keswick six were from a brace apiece for Cam Ball and Jamie Little, and one each for George Frampton and Adam Beaty. Fourth place placed Castletown had very hard fought battle against fifth placed Eden Thistle. United went 2-4 down before grabbing three more to win the game 5-4 at Frenchfield with Jonny Murray notching up four goals and Macauley Forsyth adding a fifth.
Greystoke and Braithwaite earned a point each with a 1-1 at Greystoke, with the home side putting in a superb second half performance, only to be denied a win by some great BFC goalkeeping from Dan Thompson. David Ivinson scored Greystoke’s goal and Aaron Stafford was on target for Braithwaite. Ullswater United had yet another close loss, this time 4-5 at home to Staveley United, who grabbed all three points with a dramatic 90th minute winner !
In Division Three, Kirkby Stephen had a good start to their new year, and managed to take three points with a comfortable 5-1 win over Ambleside United Reserves, with the home side’s goals from Callum Holmes, Dan Hallam, Matt Branthwaite, Andrew Moncaster and a brilliant free kick from Dan Robinson.
Kirkby Stephen are clear in second place in the table and with games in hand on leaders Ibis Reserves. But Ibis also kept their title charge going with a 2-0 win over Penrith Royal, and goals from Josh Ford and Paul Bainbridge. Endmoor KGR Reserves stay in fifth spot but close the gap with a good away win over fourth placed Burneside: the visitors goals were from Sam Wilson and Alec Hague.
Langwathby United lost a high scoring match which went to 3-8 at home to Lunesdale United, and Sedbergh Wanderers Reserves had a useful 4 -1 win over Penrith Saints FC at Havera Park, with the Wanderer’s goals coming courtesy of an own goal, a couple from Chris Ladds and the first ever goal for the club from Robbie Alderson to leave the Wanderers sixth, with Royal in seventh, and Lunesdale eighth.
