Wigton 3 South Lakes 4

SOUTH Lakes inflicted a first defeat of the season on Wigton to keep hold of top spot in the Cumbria League.

Lakes' toughest match of the season saw them start well, with fantastic pressure from their forward line.

Anna Stable, Gemma Jupp, Emma Armstrong and Lois Viney tried to find the back of the goal on a number of occasions, but it just was not happening for them.

Wigton looked to play the ball through, with a couple of their players staying high as targets, but Rebekah Nuttall, Suze Armstrong and Catherine Cooke had full control and were intercepting the ball.

With 18 minutes on the clock, the visitors finally found the back of the net.

Build-up through Rebecca Cook, Sarah Robinson, Jenny Clayton and Natalie Knowles saw the ball passed around defenders to find Holly Nuttall at the top of the D, from where she shot home.

Wigton soon brought it back level as a ball past the defence left Lakes keeper Joy Potter unable to stop a home attacker.

The visitors went back in front five minutes into the second half after Jupp earned a short corner. Cook injected the ball to Holly Nuttall, who placed her pass to her right for Robinson to score.

South Lakes continued the pressure and had most of the possession, going 3-1 ahead 16 minutes into the half.

Emma Armstrong dribbled the ball down the right and played it across to Stable, who in turn found Viney. She set up Holly Nuttall, who hit the target for her second of the game.

Wigton were not done, however, and two goals in the space of five minutes saw the home side suddenly draw level with only 10 minutes left on the clock.

Lakes put on the pressure once more, and were awarded another short corner.

Cook injected the ball to Holly Nuttall, who slipped it left for Stable to score and seal the three points.

South Lakes host third-placed Keswick on Saturday, in another tough match-up (12.30pm push-back).