Keswick Reserves enjoyed a 5-2 win over visitors Ibis Reserves in Division Two of the James Cropper Westmorland League.
They had been cruising with a five goal haul before a late Ibis fightback, with two second-half goals, added some spice to the end of the game.
Keswick started by far the brighter, and Jules West gave the home side an early lead with a well taken goal powered in from the left-hand side of the area after just three minutes.
For the rest of the half Keswick dominated, scoring three more goals, missing more, and with the Ibis goalkeeper Tom Willacy pulling-off a couple of excellent saves.
Adam Beaty doubled the lead on 18 minutes in a goalmouth scramble that some might put down to an own goal, but just two minutes later there was no debate about the scorer as Beaty headed home from close range to give Keswick a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Keswick continued to surge forwards and five minutes later a run by Charlie Robson down the left wing produced an opportunists’ goal when he spotted Willacy off his goal line and launched a perfectly targeted and weighted long range chip that sank sweetly into the back of the net.
With a 4-0 lead at half time, the second half should have been a breeze, especially as Robson added his second and Keswick’s fifth on the hour.
He scored with a clever shot from the edge of the box that rocketed into the left hand bottom of the net as he was fouled.
Ibis responded, and Keswick ‘keeper Sam Page had to pull off a fine save, but as the second half progressed, it was Ibis who began to look the far more likely to score.
So it proved as they applied pressure, and scored a goal, then hit the bar, and Dan Fletcher went close before adding a second near the end.
One of the most encouraging outcomes from the game, apart from the three points, were excellent performances from the young teenage quartet of Finn Cooper, Isaac Beechy, Will Bonnington and goal scorer Jules West, who have all clearly adapted to senior football, and all four made a real impact on the game, which bodes well for the this season for the Reserves.
The Reserves are now in fifth place in the table with a game in hand over early leaders Greystoke and second placed Kirkby Lonsdale; three games in hand over third placed Burneside, and two in hand over fourth placed Staveley United who are just one point ahead.
Keswick Firsts’ away win at Shap, their first win of the season, came thanks to goals from Man of the Match Josh Hilton, along with Richard Bannister, Declan Robinson, Andy Frampton and Alfie West, in an energised and well organised 90 minutes from the whole team.
Keswick next face neighbours Braithwaite FC away in the first round of the Westmorland FA Senior Challenge Cup on Saturday September 25, and the next League fixture is at home is on Saturday the 2nd October against newly promoted AFC Carlisle.
Keswick Reserves are away at Windermere SC Reserves in the League on Saturday September 25.
