N Lancs Football - Grange go up and target title (From The Westmorland Gazette)

N Lancs Football - Grange go up and target title

12:04pm Thursday 31st March 2011 in Sport

SECOND Division leaders Grange had a hard game against Overton and Middleton.

The first half saw Grange score two opportunist goals scored by Steve Grundy and Karl Davidson.

The second half was much tighter as Overton deservedly drew level with good goals by Ben Lowther and Ryan Knowles.

Grange went back into the lead when Joe Wellens scored and he added another to make the game safe for his side.

This win means that Grange are promoted to Division 1, and one further point will see them go up as champions.

Up in the Premier Division Carnforth Rangers after two successive defeats by Storeys gained some revenge when they deservedly and comfortably beat them this time by 3-1.

Storeys could not handle the pace of Gavin Darby as he scored a superb hat-trick. David Leslie scored the consolation for Storeys.

Relegation haunted Marsh United travelled to play Cartmel who had beaten them two weeks earlier.

Marsh knew it would be a hard game to win against a Cartmel side that of late had shown signs of getting back to its best.

Marsh started very well and played some really good football and took a 2-0 lead, both scored by striker Liam Steel after just 20 minutes to set them on their way.

Marsh had to thank striker Liam Steel as he completed a fine hat-trick that won the game for Marsh. This win moves Marsh out of a relegation place to be replaced by Freehold who had no game.

Arnside kept alive their chance of winning promotion and the title when they thrashed Ingleton Reserves.

Arnside won 9-1 with goals by Chris Kelly, Luke Gorst (2), Marco Thompson, James Smith, James Thornton, and Matthew Smith with an excellent hat-trick.

The Ingleton consolation goal came from a Tommy Murray penalty.

Relegation threatened Boys Club put paid to Kirkby Lonsdale’s slim chance of promotion by hammering them by 6-3.

Boys Club fully deserved this win as it played some of the best football it has played all season.

If it had not been for the brilliance of the Kirkby keeper the scoreline would have been much higher. Kirkby's goals came from Alex Taylor (2) and Chris Vincent.

This win moves Boys Club off the bottom and out of a relegation place.

In Division Two a strong Bentham Reserves side was much too good for promotion-chasing Heysham by thrashing them by 7-2.

Oliver Harrison led the way for Bentham with a hat-trick, with others from Ryan Halford (2) Danny Ellershaw and an own goal scored by Jason Mason. The surprise in the division was the first win of the season by Kirkby Lonsdale Reserves when they beat Galgate Reserves.

Kirkby were too good for the visitors and probably deserved to win after Grant Troughton had scored a hat-trick.

Westgate Wanderers dominated most against relegation haunted Allithwaite Rangers.

Westgate had most of the chances in a goal-less first half, but when Allithwaite introduced substitute Craig Benson it got better for them.

It was s his shot from a rare attack that ended in the net to seal an unlikely three vital points.

A thrilling Division 3 game took place between Burton Thistle and Overton/Middleton Reserves.

Pick of the goals came from Burton's Matthew White with others from Chris Plevey and Martin Looker in a 3-3 draw.

In the Craven and District Morrison Cup, Ingleton, who are fancied to win this competition, trailing 1-0 after just 60 seconds to visitors Sedbergh Wanderers.

Ingleton finally drew level when Jack Bland scored a good goal and they were the superior team in the second half, but it took until the 85th minute before the vital breakthrough came when Alex Hartley scored what turned out to be the winner.

It could have been so much easier for Ingleton if they had scored from the penalty spot.

In the Fisher/Howson Remembrance Cup semi-finals, Cartmel Reserves booked a place in the final with a 4-1 win over Marsh United Reserves.

Cartmel trailed 1-0 at half time, but took contro lafter the break and Will Anderson equalised.

Further goals then came from Danny Wallbank, John Mason and Richard Spendlove.