Football - Champions held to draw (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Champions held to draw

9:36am Tuesday 2nd September 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

LUNESDALE United held defending champions Ambleside United to a 3-3 draw at Maurice Park in the Talbot Insurance Westmorland League.

Ben Jackson gave Lunesdale a fifth-minute lead.

After home keeper Mark Foster saved a penalty, Lunesdale were unlucky not to go further ahead when Sid Emerson's 12th-minute effort hit the bar and other chances went begging.

Then Ambleside hit back with two quick goals, but Lunesdale were still creating scoring opportunities and Harvey Upton in the visitors’ goal pulled off a good save to deny Johnny Lowis.

On 55 minutes Ben Jackson was brought down in the box when about to pull the trigger, but the referee only awarded a corner, much to the disbelief of the home team.

Instead Ambleside went further ahead on the hour mark when a long ball deceived Foster in the home goal.

Lunesdale brought stand-in centre back Chris Ellwood to join Lowis up front and came up trumps with two goals to make it 3-3.

Lunesdale had other chances to win the game, but fine goalkeeping by Upton kept the final scores level.

Appleby were disappointed with a scoreless draw at home to Keswick on Saturday, when they struggled to find a “killer pass” on the edge of the 18-yard box.

Well-organised Keswick, who are capably marshalled by centre-back Martin Kirkby, the ex-Workington and Penrith player, were on top in the first half and Appleby keeper Paul Crawford made a terrific one-handed diving save to keep the scores level.

Appleby improved vastly in the second half and David Nugent’s pass over the top put in Neil Dean, who lobbed the keeper only for a defender to get back and scoop the ball clear.

Tony Johnston also worked his way into the box but screwed his shot wide, and when Paul Moffet’s cross found John Coward, his first-time shot flew straight into the keeper’s midriff.

Appleby Reserves won 5-2 at Braithwaite in their opening game in Division 3, with Keiran Williams scoring twice on his debut and Shane Kay and Scott Forrester on target, with an own goal making up the tally.

Saturday’s results: Div 1: Appleby 0, Keswick 0, Lunesdale Utd 3, Ambleside Utd 3; Penrith Rgrs v Shap post; Sedbergh Wanderers 0, Kendal County 1; Wetheriggs Utd 2, Carvetii Utd 0. Div 2: Dent v Kendal County Res post; Kendal Celtic 1, Kirkoswald 1; Staveley Utd 3, Ibis 1. Div 3: Braithwaite 2, Appleby Res 5; Burneside Res 5, Penrith Rgrs Res 7; Carvetii Utd Res 8, Sedbergh Wand Res 0; Endmoor KGR 2, Langwathby 1; Kirkby Thore Rgrs 3, Wetheriggs Utd A. Div 4: Alston Moor SC 11, Esthwaite Vale 0; Coniston Res 6, Dent Res 2.

*Send your football reports to the Gazette Sports Desk via Sports Editor richard Daniels on richard.daniels@kendal.newsquest.co.uk