Westmorland: Wilson’s treble tonic (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Westmorland: Wilson’s treble tonic

8:11am Friday 7th October 2005 in Sport By Dennis Aris

KENDAL County were ultra-keen to make their mark in the Westmorland Senior Cup after expulsion from the competition last season for fielding an ineligible player and came good with a 4-1 win at Appleby.

Striker Ollie Wilson was returning after a five-week lay-off due to a turned ankle and made up for lost time by hitting a hat-trick in this first-round tie.

County's wayward finishing has seen them fall off the pace in the league race, but Wilson's goal-poaching instincts served them well here as they went 1-0 up after 20 minutes.

Kris Clough, also back in the side, crossed and Shaun Palmer's looping header reached Wilson, who nodded home from close range.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 as Clough surged forward and although he mis-cued his shot, Peter Nicholls was following-in at the far post and tapped in.

County's third goal arrived 10 minutes before half-time when Appleby's Steve Warton handled Palmer's header on the line and Wilson tucked away the ensuing penalty kick.

Appleby's Ian Parkin and Neil Dean could not make chances count, but in the second half John Coward netted with a superb volley from the edge of the penalty box.

But it did not signal a serious comeback as County broke away to make it 4-1, with substitute Jamie Close squaring a ball for Wilson to beat the last defender and fire home to complete his hat-trick.

County boss Dave Chambers said: "We're glad to see the back of September when we didn't get the results we wanted.

"We didn't play a lot differently on Saturday but finally got our rewards and hopefully with a full-strength squad can go on and haul ourselves back into the title race."

Stefan Postlethwaite bagged a five-timer for Corinthians of the West Lancs League, who play in a higher grade than Westmorland Third Division side Endmoor and made it tell on the scoresheet with an 8-0 victory.

Paul Brookes opened the visitors' tally with a low shot into the far corner before Posthlewaite tapped in a parried save and then converted crosses from Jamie Carr and Robert Wilson with a header and a volley.

David Davidson set up the in-form striker for his next and Postlethwaite was also on the end of a flowing left-wing move to make it six without reply.

The pick of the bunch came from a ball worked out of defence, Robert Wilson's exquisite pass releasing Johnson, who crossed for Postlethwaite to net with a diving header.

Bobby Walsh added the eighth after dispossessing a defender, but Endmoor deserved credit for a battling display throughout.

Burneside beat Burton Thistle 6-3 in their inter-league cup duel.

After going down 1-0 down early on, Burneside soon took control and playing well as a team ran out clear-cut winners with goals from their three-pronged strikeforce of evergreen Martin O'Sullivan (3), Kevin Pickering (2), who has returned to the club this season from Kendal Town, and Gary Bigland (1).

Second teamers Phil Edmondson and Adam McLellon came in to Coniston's depleted side for their match against Arnside and played a vital part in a 5-0 victory over North Lancashire League opponents Arnside.

Edmondson, 18, was standing in for regular David Cooper and scored once during a first half in which Coniston netted four times to effectively put the match beyond the visitors.

Sixteen-year-old McLellon replaced him for the second period and also had a fine senior debut, said manager Steve Walker.

Man of the match Paul Walker scored twice with Glenn Todd and Ben Clarke also on the scoresheet.

Meanwhile, in the league programme, Ambleside United got the better of Staveley United for a 4-2 victory that propels them up to second place in the table.

It was a match of penalties, the first falling to Staveley to put them ahead, but Dave Ramsey, who did a lot of good work out wide, crossed to find Calvin Moorhead at the back-post and he slotted in an equaliser.

Staveley regained the lead through another penalty, much more clear-cut than the initial one, and they turned round 2-1 ahead.

Shane Todd hit the bar in the second half for Ambleside, who dominated but could not take their chances until Zach Clark, who was to be man of the match, cut inside and fired in to level the scores at 2-2.

Clark then got a second and put Ambleside ahead for the first time after Moorehead did good work down the left and rounded the keeper and gave his team-mate the goal on a plate.

Another penalty sealed the win after Clark was brought down, with ex-Staveley player Gary Wilson stepping up to net against his former team-mates.

Carleton Rovers picked up the winning thread at home to Sedbergh Wanderers.

Results: Westmorland Senior Cup, first round: Endmoor KGR 0, Corinthians 8; Appleby 1, Kendal County 4; Coniston 5, Arnside 0; Ibis 1, Lunesdale United 2; Burneside 6, Burton Thistle 3.

FA Sunday Cup, first round: James Cropper 1, Harrington Portland 2.

Westmorland League results: Div 1: Ambleside Utd 4, Staveley Utd 2; Carleton Rovers 3, Sedbergh Wand 0; Kendal Town Res v Windermere (post).

Div 2: Dent 1, Wetheriggs Utd Res 4; Kendal Celtic 0, Northbank Carlisle Res 5; Kendal County Res 3, Carvetii Utd 1; Shap 3, Keswick Res 1; Ullswater Utd 0, Kirkoswald 3; Windermere Sc Res v Penrith Rgrs (post).

Div 3: Braithwaite 2, Ambleside Utd Res 2; Carvetii Utd Res 4, Grasmere 2; Penrith Rgrs Res 4, Burneside Res 1; Sedbergh Wand Res v Carleton Rovers Res (post); Staveley Utd Res 1, Ibis Res 4; Wetheriggs Utd A 2, Appleby Res 2.

Div 4: Burneside Academy 2, Kendal Celtic Res 2; Greystoke Res 0, Shap Res 5; Kendal Utd v Coniston Res (post); Lunesdale Utd Res 6, Endmoor KGR Res 3; Penrith Utd 1, Dent Res 4; Windermere SC A 2, Langwathby 3.