West Lancs League - County slay front-runners in nine-goal thriller (From The Westmorland Gazette)

West Lancs League - County slay front-runners in nine-goal thriller

2:21pm Thursday 3rd March 2011 in Sport

Lytham Town 4, Kendal County 5.

LYTHAM served early notice of their intent and were 2-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes. First a free kick was fired into the bottom corner then Jordan Davies’s mis-kicked clearance fell straight to the Lytham striker and he made no mistake.

County regrouped and were offered a lifeline when the Lytham keeper felled the on-rushing Joe Baker and Oliver Wilson despatched the penalty.

But County then had to reshuffle when Gary Baker went off with a knee-ligament injury, Simon Neary coming on at centre-half and Dan Ferguson moving into midfield.

Although Baker went very close with a chip, it was Lytham who went 3-1 up when Steve Cross miscued his headed clearance and the striker tucked it away.

County again reduced the arrears as David Glynn poked home from a close range when the keeper spilled a shot. And it was 3-3 when Baker’s s found Aiden Caswell, whose rasping drive beat the keeper.

However, from the restart a long ball caught out James Williams and the ball was played across goal for the Lytham striker to tap in.

County came back again when a Joe Baker cross was fumbled by the home keeper for Wilson to grab his second of the game and level the scores at 4-4.

With the leaders clearly rattled, County scored a winner amid controversy.

Joe Baker was clearly onside when he fired Ferguson’s deflected volley into the net.

The linesman’s flag went up. but the referee overruled him to give County the lead for the for the first time and they held on with substitutes Cooper and Haddrick playing key roles to wind down the clock.

County manager David Chambers said: “What a game - but the win is tempered by the loss of Gary Baker.

We would have lost the game six months ago. It’s the mentality of the players that has changed and full credit ot them.

Ambleside Utd 9,Walney Island 0.

AMBLESIDE’S 9-0 trouncing of Walney Island consigned their opponents to bottom spot while they remain the promotion race's 'dark horses' in fourth place.

Clark helped himself to to a five-timer, while Jamie Parkinson showed he was back to his best with a hat-trick and Mike Barron, who with midfield partner Neil Ubershaw controlled midfield, made up the tally.

It was done and dusted 7-0 at half time and even player/manager Steve Edmondson was able to bring himself on as substitute for an enjoyable 20-minute spin.

Pick of the goals came midway through the first half a after keeper Glyn Carroll moved the ball out from the back and 19 passes were counted up to Clark applying his volleyed finish to Parkinson's pull-back.

Edmondson said: "It was nice to see everbody passing the ball instead of hoofing it upfield and our confidence has returned.

"It was all a lot better and that long enforced winter break due to the weather, which upset our form, is behind us."

Milnthorpe Corinths 4, Bolton County 3.

CORS looked to be cruising at 3-1 up at half time but a surprisingly resilient Bolton came back to level the scores and it took a last-minute winner to seal the points.

In a tremendous start, the Milnthorpe side went ahead after five minutes. Brian Pennington's through pass found Stef Postlethwaite and he placed his shot into the bottom corner.

Bolton made it 1-1, however, on the half-hour with a curling free kick over the top of the defensive wall.

Almost straight away Cors restored their lead when Bobby Walsh floated in a superb corner for Neil Hartley to head home.

Five minutes later saw the goal of the game when a short free kick was played to Cors' Dan Davidson just inside the Bolton half. Her cut inside, beat two players and lashed in the ball off the underside of the bar from 30 yards.

Yet Cors were undone again by a setpiece from another free kick and a minute later a 25-yard strike made it 3-3 with 25 minutes to go.

Cors could not take three one-on-one chances but substitute left back Dan O'Connor proved to be the matchwinner, slotting in a half-cleared ball from just inside the penalty area.

Manager Keith Singleton said: "It was a bit of a relief to get the win right at the end but they are not a bad side and have a few good players like we have."