Another win for Windermere

Windermere Men’s 1s climbed to seventh in North League 2 West with a well-earned 3-1 win over Crewe.

Crewe opened with a flurry before retreating into a half-court press as Mere began to assert themselves with crisp passing and clever movement off the ball. Patience paid off though as, after working hard for the openings, Adam Whitehead and James Kirkpatrick fired them into a two-goal lead.

An engaging end-to-end battle then ensued as Crewe desperately tried to get back on terms. They pressed forward in numbers to claw one goal back but left themselves open at the back and Josh Bellis broke away, rounded Crewe’s last line defender to feed Archie Dalzell who put the game to bed with a simple tap-in.

There were a host of stand-out personal performances for Mere and the result really did reflect their superiority – a second successive victory and a mid-table position.

Undone by costly spell

Apart from a costly 12 minutes in the first-half, Windermere Ladies matched third-placed Pendle 2s in their Lancs Central Women’s League Premier Division encounter.

Mere had started the stronger with Lucie Staniek going close and a short corner only just scrambled away, but Pendle answered with a successful strike from the top of the D and then a goal from an uncleared short corner. Two more home team goals followed and in the space of just 12 minutes they were 4-nil ahead.

Playing with greater width after the interval, Mere’s Katie Harrison and Kitty Carr repeatedly drove the ball into the D only for Pendle to survive a resulting series of short corners and see out the game without further score.

Hannah Clark held the midfield well throughout but Mere’s Players’ Player vote went to Staniek.

Wrong end of ten-goal thriller

Windermere men’s 2s were two goals up away to Fylde 3s but ended up losing 6-4 in NW Div 5 North North.

Mere started brightly with two well-taken goals from Teddy Ferguson after good work by Man-of the-Match Kieren Armer on the right flank. But Fylde countered with some fast breaks of their own and costly errors saw Mere go in 3-2 down by half-time.

A changed team formation allowed Mere to get the ball out wide earlier and they deservedly pegged Fylde back to 3-3 with a goal by Gonzalo Lucas. However, Fylde bagged two more goals before skipper Jason Balmer scored Mere’s fourth, and Fylde then they sealed victory with a sixth.