BACK in the top flight after more than a decade, Ibis are not looking out of place and made an impression with their second win in a row by beating Keswick 3-1 at home.

Club stalwart and manager Fred Dixon has a young Ibis side who play a fast, open game and they busily rattled their way into a 3-0 lead by half time.

Strike Chris Ellwood bagged a couple and midfielder Graham Carlos was on target and the side held their lead well.

It was two minutes from full time when Keswick pegged one back, too late to signal a revival.

The Ibis win follows a confidence-boosting 3-1 win over Coniston thanks to another Ellwood goal, one from Gary Taylor and an own goal, their first win after two defeats against Wetheriggs and Sedbergh.

Kendal County continued their travels with a trip to Appleby where they went behind before running out 4-2 winners to make it four victories and a draw - all away from home.

Appleby started brightly and the early pressure brought a goal when John Coward's cross was turned into his own net by defender Ryan Wallace.

County were soon back on level terms when Appleby's Craig Nelson slipped trying to intercept Paul Gratton's ball from the County midfield and it left Peter Nicholls through to tuck the ball into the bottom corner.

County then went 2-1 up after good work by Ian Aplin and Ryan Wallace ended with a cross which Kris Clough met for a looping header over the keeper.

Another Wallace cross provided a third goal when Ollie Wilson slid in at the near post and a defender deflected it in for the second own goal of the game.

A sloppy start to the second half by County allowed Appleby a deserved second goal when a four-man move ended with Ben Greenhow sidefooting home, but County deflated the home side with a fourth goal. Nicholls, who had moved into midfield, cut in and hit a left-foot shot which took a slight deflection to nestle in the top corner.

Unbeaten Sedbergh Wanderers could only manage a 2-2 draw away at Coniston as both sides were under strength.

Sedbergh never really got going in the first half and about halfway through Kevin Cooper put the home side ahead as Sedbergh stood and waited for an offside decision that never came.

Sedbergh levelled the scores just before half-time through a Matt Parkin header and then took control of the match.

Mike Harrison lobbed the goalkeeper from 40 yards to score his ninth of the season and put Sedbergh 2-1 ahead.

Sedbergh spurned chance after chance to make the points certain, but Coniston remained dangerous and earned a well-deserved point when Tim Fletcher pounced to knock in the ball after Glen Todd's 25-yarder had rattled the bar.

Kendal Town Reserves went to Staveley United and produced a fine display in the wet conditions for a 3-1 win.

Town went ahead through Mark Thompson's well-struck shot into the bottom corner of the net, but battling Staveley kept to their task well and got on level terms when Brendan O'Sullivan headed home a ball knocked back into the penalty box that caught the defence napping.

Town soon replied when young striker Lee McNeill finished off a good move with a clinical finish to go into half time with a 2-1 lead.

Town kept on top in the second half, although Mark Donoghue in the Staveley defence did his best to keep a young Kendal side out, but with 15 minutes to go up-and-coming talent John Bentley sprung the Staveley defence and calmly slotted his chance home.

Town's performance was marred by a sending-off, McNeill going for his second bookable offences.

New Staveley manager, the former referee Alan Wilkinson, feels the squad are not far away from winning matches they have only one point from five games, but have lost by a single goal in the other matches played.

Ambleside United recorded their first league win in three attempts this season, a fine 3-1 victory at home to Carleton Rovers.

Two first-half goals without reply before half-time put Ambleside on the way, John Banks going clean through and then checking before applying a neat finish before Dave Ramsey cut in from the right and Byron Stephenson knocked in the second from the edge of the six-yard box.

Ambleside went to sleep in the second half and conceded a sloppy goal, but they then defended well Ramsey produced a 35-yard screamer that stuck in the stauchion to put them back on track as they finished strongly.

n The first trophy of the season is due to be decided on Wednesday when Kendal County meet Wetheriggs in the Westmorland FA Invitation Trophy at Kendal Town's Parkside ground (7.30pm kick-off). It is a repeat of last season's final in which County won on sudden-death penalties.

Results: Division One: Ambleside United 3, Carleton Rovers 1; Appleby 2, Kendal County 4; Coniston 2, Sedbergh Wanderers 2; Ibis 3, Keswick 1; Staveley United 1, Kendal Town Reserves 3.

Division Two: Dent 3, Keswick Reserves 1; Endmoor KGR 3, Kirkoswald 4; Greystoke 1, Kendal Celtic 0; Lunesdale United 2, Wetheriggs United Reserves 3; Victoria SC 0, Kendal County Reserves 2 (abandoned at half time).

Division Three: Braithwaite 3, Ambleside Utd Reserves 2; Burneside Reserves 0, Carvetii United 6; Grasmere 2, Ibis Reserves 1; Shap 4, Appleby Reserves 1.

Division Four: Carvetii United Reserves 2, Staveley United Reserves 3; Kendal Celtic Reserves 1, Lunesdale United Reserves 4; Penrith United 2, Shap Reserves 2; Windermere SC A 5, Dent Reserves 2.

Thursday. September 9: Division Three: Penrith Rangers Reserves 3, Carleton Rovers Reserves 1.