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KESWICK WEST CUMBRIA 1 – 0 NESTON SOUTH WIRRAL
COOK

This week Wests faced a tricky double header as their league campaign got caught up with recent weather postponed games. First up on Saturday was Neston South Wirral.
Neston currently sit in midtable seeming destined to finish the season clear from relegation but failing to mount any push for promotion. Consolidation appears to be the goal. Earlier in the season Wests collected the 3 points in the reverse fixture with a fine display away from home but with Neston causing an upset against 2nd place Morecombe weeks previous, the same outcome could not be expected.
Wests fielded their predominant usual line-up but were without the reliable Chris Mattear but did welcome back Mark Bowen.
The game began brightly and Wests controlled most of the play and soon created opportunities. Cook was unfortunate with a flick as was Swanston with a drive. Neston seemed eager to maintain possession and force Wests away from their fierce counter attack style play and made it difficult for KWC to break down their stubborn defence suggesting it would take something special to break the deadlock. Luckily for Wests, that something special arrived right on cue in the form of a Rob Cook mazing dribble through the heart of the visiting defence before neatly evading the onrushing keeper and slotting the ball into the empty net.
Wests continued to control the majority of the game and made the most running. Proctor worked his usual D to D shuttle runs in the middle while Bowen provided the experienced eye for a pass.
Neston had a couple of half chances though, the best to note from a short corner that Keep Harris diverted wide.
The second half brought about more of the same. Wests attacked down both flanks from Swanston/Cook and Morgan/Sutton combinations and created further chances. Proctor fired wide before Barnes was denied by an excellent save by the keeper. Barnes was unlucky moments later again when this shot was tipped onto the post and cleared away from danger.
As the game drew to a close Wests still had the lead but with Neston still only a goal away from snatching a point, the final moments were tense. KWC held on though and claimed the win keeping themselves 3 points clear of the chasing pack.