A home win over Kirkby Stephen extended Keswick FC first team’s unbeaten run to three and has kept them in touch with JMP Foodservice Westmorland League Division I leaders Appleby.
Charlie Robson’s header just before half-time against the first division’s bottom side and a second goal from substitute Stephen Moss in the second period mean Keswick are second in the table with eight games left.
They are seven points behind Appleby, have two games in hand and are due to travel to Broad Close during a congested month which will see a host of sides attempting to plough through a fixture backlog.
Kirkoswald, who reached the Westmorland FA Benevolent Trophy final on Saturday, still have 12 league games to play and are 15 points off the summit. Windermere SC are also in contention, 11 points off the top having played three games fewer than Appleby but the Lakes side lost at home to Ibis in midweek.
“It wasn’t one of our better performances, just a bit of an off-day,” was Keswick manager Mike Frampton’s frank assessment of Saturday’s win. “We didn’t play our best. It was a good win but it wasn’t a very exciting game. I made a change early on at full back which gave us a bit more going forward and we scored in the last 10 minutes of the first half when we started playing really well.
Moss’s arrival had made a positive difference while the visitors “played quite well but they never really threatened us”.
Keswick host Sedbergh & Dent United this weekend. “We’ve got to win that,” said Frampton, whose team then travel to Windermere SC on Wednesday evening. “Sedbergh/Dent have been a difficult game for us in the past. If they come and play well and we play like we did on Saturday we’ll struggle.
“But we’ve had two wins and a draw in our last three games and we’re starting to get a bit of form. It’s still in our hands so you never know. Windermere is a massive game. If we could beat them, we can then think about Appleby (away, on 25th April). But if we’re not ‘on it’, we’ll get beat. We’ll have to be at it every game.
“After last year (narrowly avoiding relegation) we’re now second,” added Frampton. “At times it’s frustrating, you look and think ‘we could have done this, could have done that’, although other teams will be the same.
“If we can stay up there, I’ll be happy. I’d like to think we’ve got a chance but you can only show it on the pitch.”
Westmorland League results, Tuesday, Division I: Appleby 0, Kirkby Stephen 0. Greystoke 0, Penrith AFC Res 0.Kirkoswald 3, Wetheriggs Utd 0. Sedbergh & Dent Utd 0, Endmoor KGR 4. Windermere SC 0, Ibis 2.
Division III: Alston Moor FC 2, Langwathby Utd 3. Arnside & Milnthorpe Town 0, Lunesdale Utd 4.
Division IV: Millhead 0, Burton Thistle 4.
Saturday, Westmorland FA Benevolent Trophy semi-finals: Kirkoswald 6, Ibis 3. Endmoor KGR 0, Penrith AFC Res 5.
League, Division II: Ambleside Utd 7, Ullswater Utd 1. Penrith AFC Academy 1, Kendal Utd Res 2.
Division III: Arnside & Milnthorpe Town 0, Eden Thistle 2. Lunesdale Utd 5, Windermere SC Res 1.
Division IV: Burneside Res 0, Greystoke Second 2. Millhead 2, Carnforth Rangers 3. Sedbergh & Dent Utd Res 2, Kirkby Lonsdale Res 2.
Wetheriggs Utd Res 2, Burton Thistle 1.
Peter Daws Memorial Shield: Braithwaite 2, Alston Moor FC 4. Langwathby Utd 1, Eden Utd 3.
