Keswick Men’s 1sts have been relegated after a hard season following last year’s promotion to the North West’s top division.
The drop had already been confirmed ahead of their final game at home to Chester when they were hoping to go out with a bang.
They had been encouraged by a late run of good results (including beating second place Neston 4-1 in their last home game) but it didn’t work out as Chester won the game 6-2.
The visitors had started really well with good structure and crisp passing from the first whistle, and they took the lead on four minutes through James Challoner.
Keswick then started passing the ball well themselves, building from the back several times from good defending against the visitors’ attacks.
However it was Chester who increased their lead on 14 minutes from the stick of Tom Warburton and they made it 3-0 after 24 minutes through Ben Scott. On 30 minutes Paul Tippler made it 4-0 to the visitors.
Keswick heads didn’t drop though and their persistence paid off just on half-time as Steve Salveson pulled a goal back to make it 1-4 at the break.
It was Keswick who got off to a flyer in the second-half with Simon Miles scoring their second and after ten minutes home keeper Will Anderson saved a penalty stroke to keep Keswick in the contest.
After 14 minutes, however, Tippler scored his second, and Chester’s fifth, then rounded off the scoring on 18 minutes by completing his hat-trick.
It was a tough afternoon, but after a slow start to the season, Keswick have put together some good results and team performances over the closing weeks, and that will stand them in good stead next year as they try to win promotion back into this tough league.
