Eyes turn to cup honours after agonising league finale

A 6-0 win over Crooklands Casuals on the final day of the season was not enough to seal a place in next season’s Premier Division, as their Division One promotion rivals Kendal County triumphed by the same scoreline.

League top scorers Joe Wilkinson and Cameron Holmes were amongst the goals with the latter getting a hat trick; Josh Green and Mwambe Chilufya also found the net.

“We were superb and it was probably one of the best performances of the season,” Lancaster said.

Kendal County celebrate promotion to the Premier Division

"We came out of the blocks really, really quickly and we were 4-0 up within half an hour, which put the game to bed straight away and then we naturally, because the game's won, they sort of took the foot off the gas a little bit but still created loads and loads of chances.

“Credit to Crooklands, they never gave up, they kept on battling and in the second half they came out with a bit more energy and a bit more about them but I think just in general, our performance was really good.

“We moved the ball really quickly and we were quite clinical.

“I think we hit the woodwork three times during the match as well and their keeper made some great saves but fair play to them, they never gave up.

“We were just on a different level yesterday.”

While their league season may not have concluded with the desired outcome of promotion, Lancaster’s side scored 104 goals and won 20 of their 28 games, finishing on 64 points, just one behind Kendal County.

“We’ve just been unfortunate, we've come up against two very good teams in Hesketh Bank and in Kendal County.

“Hats off to Kendal County because we won nine of the last 10 league games and thought that that would be enough knowing that Kendal had to go to Hesketh Bank and get a result.

"They did, so fair play because that's not a mean feat on its own and then they've obviously played to the final whistle because they got two very important equalisers against Kendal United and against Pause when they were losing so congratulations to them and hats off to them.

“They've put in a heck of a finish to the season and the league table doesn't lie, they've deserved it over the course of the season and the four games we lost unfortunately were two to Kendal and two to Hesketh Bank so that maybe tells you a story, that probably the best two two teams in the league have gone up, as much as it pains us to miss out by a point.

When asked if promotion next season was the aim, Lancaster said: “Without a doubt, the lads are even more determined now to try and get the job done next season and they're obviously gutted.

[i]"But we'll learn from it and hopefully next season we can keep the majority of the squad together by the looks of things and we can go again and hopefully have a go at winning it but definitely hopefully go up.”

Carnforth’s last game of the season is against Dalton United in the Challenge Cup final on Wednesday.

“If we play like we have been doing the last sort of month or so last 10 games then we've every chance of getting a victory.

"Obviously, we don't know too much about Dalton with them being the division below ,but they're obviously a very well drilled side won a lot of games and they've had a lot of games as well over this last month because of postponements.

"But they've had some good results and they've beaten three teams out of our division to get here so we're certainly not going to take them lightly.”

Lancaster praised the performances of Wilkinson and Holmes who have accumulated 66 goals between them this season in West Lancs league and cup competitions.

“Obviously goals win games and when you've got two lads like that, who know where the back of the net is and they're finding it on a regular basis, it takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the team really because they know that if they're playing, they're likely to at least get one or two between them so it's been a godsend for us really this season.

“A couple of seasons ago, we were struggling to find the back of the net and then all of a sudden we've got two that score so regularly.”

Carnforth are in the process of building home changing rooms and a club tea bar, with exciting developments around the ground and the clubhouse to come soon.

Kendal County made light work of securing the win they needed for promotion with a rapid-fire 6-0 win over Askam United.

They were five up at the break thanks to goals from Ruben Swallow, Kris Worsley, Aaron McMinn, Ryan Close and Jude Close, before Swallow scored his second five minutes into the second half.

Elsewhere, Holker Old Boys Res beat Slyne with Hest 2-0, Croston Sports defeated Pause United 2-1 and Chipping saw off Ulverston Rangers 3-1.

In the Premier Division, several teams ended on a high, including Haslingden St Mary’s who won 5-0 at CMB.

James Wright, Charlie Ridge (2), Leon Barker-Williams and Jack Greenwood all scored as the league’s fourth-placed side went out in style.

The same can be said for Tempest United - last season’s champions were 5-0 victors at home to Cleator Moor Celtic.

Mitch Davenport, Ollie Groocock, Connor Griffiths, Ste Ward and Jordan Pendlebury bagged a goal each in a ruthless second half. They take on Hesketh Bank on Friday in the Richardson Cup Final.

Second beat third as Lostock St Gerards won 2-0 at home to Blackpool Wren Rovers, while champions Eagley also finished the season with a 2-0 victory against Millom.

Burscough Richmond won 4-0 at home to Milnthorpe Corinthians with 40-something Lee McNabb scoring the final goal late on, minutes after even more 'experienced' former player and now-manager Steve Edmondson came on as sub for the visitors.

Hurst Green saw off Whitehaven 3-1 and Astley & Buckshaw drew 2-2 with Poulton.

Garstang Reserves ended their Division Two season in style with a 6-1 win over Charnock Richard Reserves.

It was first blood to Charnock as Harry Whittaker scored early on but Liam Painter quickly equalised before Lewis Heap made it 2-1.

Further goals in the second half came from Owen Pye, Sam Burton and Archie Howard with Painter popping up for his second.

Langho ended their first season in the West Lancs League with a 6-3 win over Appley Bridge.

They were 3-0 up at the break through a Joel Phelps double and a Umer Ahmed opener; Muhammed Mulla and Harry Bedford added a fourth and fifth early in the second half.

Appley Bridge weren’t giving up though: they scored three in the final 35 minutes - two from Danny Ahmed and one from James Rimmer - before Phelps scored his third and his side’s sixth.

Walney Island won 5-3 at home to Galgate with goals from Zach Walker (2), Brad Tippett (2) and Josh Jones, while Oliver Jordan scored a hat trick for the visitors - meaning the visitors and not the hosts will have seek re-election for finishing in the bottom two.

Second placed Stoneclough edged past Caton United 1-0, champions Fulwood Amateurs Reserves drew 1-1 at Storeys and Bamber Bridge Reserves won 3-1 versus bottom side Hawcoat Park.

Reserve Division One champions Blackpool Wren Rovers Reserves rounded off their campaign with a 2-0 win over Poulton Reserves, while Coppull Reserves beat Lostock St Gerards Reserves 3-1 and Haslingden St Mary’s Reserves drew 2-2 with Tempest Reserves.

As for Reserve Division Two, second placed Fulwood Amateurs A won 5-2 at Pause Reserves, Thornton Cleveleys A edged out Stoneclough Reserves 2-1 and champions Hurst Green Reserves drew with Rossendale Reserves 1-1.