West Lancs: Barron hat-trick stretches Ambleside's Division Two lead (From The Westmorland Gazette)

West Lancs: Barron hat-trick stretches Ambleside's Division Two lead

4:00pm Wednesday 14th December 2011 in Football By Patrick O'Kane, Senior News/Sport Reporter

AMBLESIDE United extended their lead at the top of division two of the West Lancashire League to four points with a 4-2 home win against Askam United.

A Mike Barron hat-trick ensured United would be top for Christmas as United came from behind to win, while all other matches in the league were postponed.

Askam took the lead when a cross from the right found Sam Dowsett, who placed his header into the bottom corner, but Barron levelled soon after with a strike from the edge of the box.

Further chances followed for the hosts through Mike Rushton and Maison McGeechan but it remained 1-1 at half time.

Damien Clifton in the United goals produced a finger tip save to push the ball over the crossbar from an Askam free kick but the visitors took a 2-1 lead with 20 minutes to go when Jordan Rayner ran through the defence and fired home.

United were spurred on by the setback and scored three goals in the final 15 minutes, with Barron getting his and United’s second after a Jamie Parkinson shot came back off the woodwork.

Parkinson added the third with a rocket from outside the area before Barron sealed three points with a shot to the far corner of the net after Aaron Helliwell evaded three Askam defenders.

* Milnthorpe Corinthians match with Kendal County was postponed.