By Ben Challis
Keswick triumphed in the final of the Westmorland FA’s Invitation Trophy, beating Appleby 3-4 at Parkside Road in Kendal to win the first silverware of the 2018-2019 football season.
Both teams reached the final by beating sides from the senior West Lancs League, with Appleby winning 4-2 away at Kendal County, and Keswick securing a 2-1 victory over holders Milnthorpe Corinthians, and this was a thrilling final, and a classic game of two halves with both teams battling until the final whistle.
Appleby started by far the better, and within two minutes the excellent Bobby Atkinson put them ahead when he spun and struck home a Ric Faustino pass for a close range goal. If Keswick were taken by surprise they didn’t show it. Quite simply they didn’t respond at all.
The next forty minutes were almost entirely with Appleby, with Ben Jackson scoring another close range goal ten minutes later as Appleby rampaged forwards, and Keswick struggled to string together passes and attacks.
On the half hour Bobby Atkinson added a third, again from close range, and Keswick looked woeful, struggling to contain Atkinson, Jackson and Jordan Crawford as they surged forwards, with just two counter attacks providing missed chances for Keswick from Declan Robinson and Tom Atkinson, with striker Richard Bannister often marooned on his own up front as Faustino and Tom Armstong marshalled a solid defensive line.
Who knows what Keswick manager Eddie Thompson told his troops at half time, but it worked and they came out a different side. The addition of Sam Rowley added a new dynamic going forwards, and brother Chris Rowley was making inroads on the left wing, and the tide changed, and changed rapidly, with Keswick now in the driving seat.
It was Keswick captain Stevie Hindmarch who grabbed the crucial first goal back for Keswick with a looping ball over a diving Tony Ousby’s outstretched arms on 55 minutes, swiftly followed by a goal from Sam Rowley who twisted and struck a close range shot to make it 3-2.
With Appleby now reduced to 10 men after Appleby’s Lee Turnbuill was sent off for two yellow cards and with Keswick looking fitter and stronger, the third and equalising goal came from Bannister on 85 minutes from five yards out on the left hand side of the goal, again from close range, with Bannister mobbed by his relieved team mates.
As the clock ticked down Keswick then won a penalty in the last minute when Hindmarch was brought right in front of the Appleby goal by Ousby, and Karl Southern struck home the winner. After nearly ten minutes of end-to-end added time, Keswick held on and clinched the win and the Trophy.
Appleby: Tony Ousby, Richard Faustino, Tom Armstrong (C), John Coward, Lee Turnbull, Dylan Critchley, Ben Jackson, Liam Kinnear, Tony Lund, David Nugent, Jordan Crawford, Bobby Atkinson, Jack Overs, Ross Parkin,
Keswick: John Philips, Zak Marriott, Sam Reilly, Lewis Cumber, Karl Southern, Stevie Hindmarch (C), Alfie West, Charlie Andrews, Declan Robinson, Tom Atkinson, Richard Bannister, Chris Rowley, Stephen Hilton, Sam Rowley.
Referee: Bernard Law. Assistant Referees: Colin Miles and Mark Robson. Fourth Official: Christopher Dixon.
