FOOTBALL: Appleby could not field their strongest side at Coniston in the Talbot Insurance Westmorland League on Saturday, but made a dream start only to lose 5-3 after some disappointing defending.

Influential skipper Steve Wharton was sidelined with flu and, with Thomas Armstrong (holiday) and Richard Faustino (university) also absent, manager Jock' Nugent is struggling to field a settled side.

Yet Appleby looked far from inconvenienced as they went ahead in the opening minute courtesy of a trademark John Coward free kick, which the keeper could only parry into his net.

That soon became 2-0 when Neil Dean chased a long punt forward to get through for a one-on-one with the Coniston keeper, whose clearance attempt slewed off the challenger, leaving him a simple tap-in.

Coniston came back to go 3-2 up before half time, however, as Appleby were guilty of mistakes at the back.

Keeper Paul Crawford failed to scoop up the ball after a quickly-taken free kick caught the visitors asleep and then Darryl Wilson's attempted clearance skimmed off his head straight to a forward's feet. There could be no quibbles about Coniston's third, a superbly-struck volley on the turn.

Appleby's luck got no better at the start of the second half as another defensive slip allowed Coniston to make it 4-2 and they went 5-2 up with an unchallenged header.

Dean scrambled a goal back to make it 5-3, but the points had long gone by that stage.

Coniston leapfrogged Appleby (16 points) in the table to go joint second with Kendal County on 17 points, both sides five points adrift of leaders Wetheriggs, who have played a game fewer.

Striker Carl Pratt grabbed a hat-trick as Appleby Reserves beat Dent Reserves, from a division below them, 3-0 in the first round of the Junior Cup.

League results: Div 1: Carleton Rovers 6, Ambleside Utd 3; Coniston 5, Appleby 3; Greystoke 2, Sedbergh Wanderers 2; Ibis 4, Lunesdale Utd 2; Windermere SC 2, Kendal County 4.

Div 2: Burneside 6, Keswick Res 2; Kendal Celtic 2, Windermere SC Res 3; Shap 1, Wetheriggs Utd Res 0.

Div 3: Ambleside Utd Res v Carleton Rovers Res (post); Carvetii Utd Res 4, Burneside Res 1; Endmoor KGR 4, Wetheriggs Utd A 0; Penrith Rgrs Res 1, Ibis Res 5.

Div 4: Burneside Academy 1, Coniston Res 3; Windermere SC A 4, Endmoor KGR Res 3.