ALTHOUGH on paper Coniston, looked firm favourites to beat Lunesdale United from Division Two in the quarter-finals of the Westmorland FA Benevolent Trophy, it was not as easy in reality.

A gale-force wind made it difficult to control the ball and Coniston were grateful for an early goal to get them off to a good start.

Forward David Cooper was on target from close range after connecting with an Adam McGinley cross from the right. Ten minutes before half time, however, Lunesdale equalised following a free kick in their own half.

When Coniston failed to clear the danger, the ball dropped right for a Lunesdale player to crack in a well-struck shot from the edge of the 18 yard box.

There was still time before the break for Coniston to go back ahead when Glen Todd tucked away a cross from the left, although there was a bit of good fortune about the finish as a mis-hit shot looped over the keeper into the corner.

Only a goal to good, Coniston still had to be on their mettle and in the spoiling conditions it became a more even contest in the second half.

Coniston remained in control and added a third goal in the last 10 minutes when Todd latched on to a free kick from the right and finished it a with a cross-shot past the keeper.

While Coniston shaded the exchanges, it might have been closer if Lunesdale had not had a goal disallowed for offside and the Tebay side deserve credit for giving their Division One rivals a competitive game.

Coniston have a problem with their semi-final tie, however, for they have applied for a free date on March 12 when the ties are due to be played, as a lot of the first team will be on a stag weekend.

Ibis also reached the semi-finals with a 2-0 defeat of Milnthorpe Corinthians, who fielded a strengthened Reserve side with the first-team match being called off, but were well within their rights to do so as this is a competition for senior teams.

It was difficult to get things flowing on the bobbly pitch but Ibis were 1-0 up after 10 minutes when Dan Wilkinson made a goal out of nothing, receiving the ball around the penalty spot, swivelling and delightfully chipping the keeper.

With sweeper Graham Carlos reading the game well and Andy Davies breaking up a lot of Corinthians' midfield play, Ibis controlled against their younger opponents.

Their second goal came on the hour when 16-year-old Ryan Ormrod scored his fourth goal in three senior games. Breaking on the right, he cut in and hit a low, hard shot which the keeper could only parry into the net.

Appleby counted themselves unfortunate not to get something out of their Trophy clash at Kendal Town Reserves, which ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Appleby felt they outplayed Town in the first half but John Coward, Steve Wharton and Paul Moffet all missed chances.

Town keeper Nicky Dent tipped over David Nugent's effort and Neil Dean was inches wide with a header.

In the second half, Coward blazed over at a one-on-one with the keeper and Moffet hit the crossbar before Town broke away and Kevin Pickering lashed a shot into the bottom corner to put them ahead.

Pickering surpassed that effort by unleashing a 30-yard strike for his second goal, giving keeper Paul Crawford no chance.

Paul Kinnear came off the bench for Appleby and pulled a goal back, beating a defender and the keeper to sidefoot home, but those spurned opportunities came back to haunt the side at the final whistle.

Man of the match for Town was Gary Major with an impressive display in defence.

The fourth team through to the semi-finals are Wetheriggs, who were forced to battle hard before defeating Keswick 4-3.

In Division One, top met bottom when Kendal County took on Penrith Rangers, who scored four goals but still came away empty-handed in a 7-4 defeat.

A first-minute strike from Ryan Wallace with a chip over the on-coming keeper after a fine run down the left gave County the perfect start.

But 20 minutes went by before Peter Nicholls bustled his way past three players to finish neatly in the bottom corner too make it 2-0.

Penrith pulled a goal back when a long ball caught the County defence square and a pacy forward stroked it in, but Phil Hodgson cancelled it out before half time from Ian Aplin's corner when he headed home at the back post.

County then went 6-1 up with further goals from Wallace, who put away a parried shot and two goals from Ollie Wilson, the first a penalty for hand-ball and the second a header after a storming run and cross from Lee Blamire.

Penrith then surprised the leaders by scoring three times in the last 20 minutes, while County replied through another Hodgson goal.

Fortunately, County had a bigger enough cushion never to be too worried and the fact remains they are not playing particularly well but still winning.

Like the majority of teams both Sedbergh Wanderers and Ambleside have played very few games recently, but their Division One encounter went with league form with Sedbergh winning 4-0.

In the first half Sedbergh scored three times without reply. Craig Gardner followed up to score the first after Dave Metcalfe's long-range effort was well saved by the keeper.

The league's leading scorer Mike Harrison added the second, calmly lobbing the keeper to score on his return from suspension, having not played for more than two months.

Harrison then turned provider to lay on the third for Matt Parkin to slot past the keeper.

In the second half Sedbergh eased up but still managed to control the game. Late on in-form Craig Moffat scored his fifth in four games with a 30-yard volley.