RELIEVED Kendal County finally emerged with three points from a see-sawing seven-goal clash against Coniston in the Talbot Insurance Westmorland League on Saturday.

Dave Chambers' side saw a 2-1 lead turn into a 3-2 deficit before they scored twice in two minutes for a 4-3 victory.

It was County who settled better on the rain-drenched, slippery pitch to do most of the first-half pressing although struggling for a clear-cut opening.

Reward for their perseverance came three minutes before half time when Paul Grattan's header forward allowed Peter Nicholls to push a ball through for on-rushing Kris Clough to lash home from the edge of the box.

Coniston were back on level terms before the break when midfielder Peter Blair surged into the box and was brought down for a penalty award.

Keeper Adam Hornby got a hand to David Cooper's spot kick but could not keep it out, and although County still had time to hit the bar from a corner it stayed 1-1 at half-time.

County got the start they wanted in the second half and good work by James Williams set up Grattan to find Nicholls before Ian Alpin finished off the neat approach work to give the home team a 2-1 lead.

Coniston added enterprise to their tenacity and looked a transformed side afterwards, finding gaps behind the square defence for Glen Todd to equalise. The visitors then went 3-2 up when Hornby failed to cut out a corner and unmarked John Kirkbride scored with a powerful header.

County's Ollie Wilson blazed a penalty over after Phil Hodgson was pushed in the box, but the turning-point came when Coniston were reduced to 10 men after Wayne Walker was sent off for a second bookable offence.

County went on all-out attack and it was Wilson who redeemed himself with a glancing header from substitute Craig Walmsley's cross to level the scores at 3-3 with 10 minutes to go.

Just two minutes later County were 4-3 ahead when Alpin hit a looping shot that dipped under the bar with the keeper stranded for his second goal.

Coniston went close and forced Hodgson to clear off his own goal-line in the dying seconds, but County held on for an important win to their title prospects.

Kendal Town Reserves found a cutting edge in the second half for a 2-1 victory over Appleby at Parkside.

Town struggled to unlock a packed Appleby defence but had the first chance when 16-year-old John Bentley got in behind but the keeper stood his ground to save well.

Instead Appleby went ahead when John Coward's corner was headed off the line and Neil Dean cleverly lobbed a shot over the defence.

Frustrated, Town pushed up 16-year-old Sam Pooley to make a three-man attack and the young striker raced on to a through ball to coolly slot home an equaliser.

Appleby went close when Ben Greenhow scooped over and then Town keeper Nicky Dent turned away Coward's goal-bound shot.

Town renewed the pressure and the winner came from Gary Major's driven-in corner, which found Dan Newby for a powerful header into the roof of the net.

Town were mostly in charge afterwards, but Appleby might have sneaked a draw had not Paul Moffet been just wide of the target at the end.

Sedbergh Wanderers did all their best work in the first half against Keswick, but it was a different story after half time as they eventually went down 4-1.

Chance after chance went begging for Sedbergh before Craig Moffat eventually put them in front.

Keswick, who had hardly been out of their own half, managed to get on level terms just before half time when they scored from a corner.

In the second half the awful pitch took its toll as Sedbergh's neat football suffered as passes failed to find their men.

The more direct Keswick then went 2-1 ahead when a long distance free-kick missed everyone and went into the back of the net.

As Sedbergh tried to get back into the game, still wasting more good situations, Keswick added two more to seal a 4-1 win.

Windermere put in a pleasing display against defending champions Wetheriggs United after going a goal down in the opening 15 minutes.

The revival began five minutes later when Peter Whitehead's fine chip found Jamie Parkinson 18 yards out and he fired home to level the scores.

Wetheriggs then went 2-1 up with a penalty before half time.

Fifteen minutes into the second half Wetheriggs went 3-1 up, but Windermere kept plugging away and 20 minutes from the end a good ball found Jimi Wade to score from three yards out to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Windermere attacked again but could not find the equaliser yet, after a month's break without training because of the storms, this was a commendable effort.

Results round-up: Division One: Kendal County 4, Coniston 3; Kendal Town Reserves 2, Appleby 1; Keswick 4, Sedbergh Wanderers 1; Wetheriggs United 3, Windermere SC 2.

Division Two: Greystoke 2, Burneside 1.

Division Thee: Burneside Reserves 0, Carelton Rovers Res 2; Carvetii United 5, Braithwaite 0; Grasmere 3, Shap 5.

Division Four: Endmoor KGR Reserves 0, Lunesdale United Reserves 3.

Austin Wren Cup, second round: Kendal Celtic Reserves 0, Staveley United Reserves 3; Penrith United 4, Coniston Reserves 1; Wetheriggs United A 0, Carvetii United Reserves 2.