Last updated 19:43, Thursday, 05 June 2008

WORKINGTON Zebras are looking for a new coach after Keith Branthwaite stood down from the role. SIX new teams will be contesting the North Lancs Cumbria League next season, including newly promoted Keswick.

Branthwaite took over last season in a new set-up at the Ellis Sports Ground in which previous coach Kevin O’Neil adopted the team manager’s job.

O’Neil said: “I thought Keith was okay to continue but he’s informed the club that he is having to stand down because of increased work commitments.

“At the moment I am looking at one or two possibilities, people who might be in a position to take on the job as coach.

“I had a good working relationship with Keith during his season at the club and I’d just like to put on record our thanks for his efforts.”

The Zebras had won promotion as champions of the Cumbria League and did exceptionally well under Branthwaite’s coaching to finish third in the North Lancs Cumbria League.

That established a very good platform and Workington were hoping to push on from there in 2008/09.

Meanwhile O’Neil has taken on the task of reviving the annual Quaggas match at the Ellis Sports Ground.

The dictionary term for a Quagga is an extinct Zebra so as the name implies it is a team for veteran Workington players.

“It was a team started by our current president Derek Robinson but the fixture hasn’t been played for seven years. It was quite a social occasion, enjoyed by young and old.

“We’ve decided to revive the game and we are playing tomorrow with a 4.30pm kick-off. I’m getting Derek to kick-off and we have a good number of senior ex-players coming along.

The Cumbria League champions are one of five clubs from the county who will be contesting the League this coming season.

St Benedict’s were relegated at the end of the 2007/08 campaign or half the mix would have been Cumbrian.

Apart from Keswick (action left), the other newcomers for 2008/09 are Aldwinians, Vale of Lune, Tyldesley, Heaton Moor and Burnley (who beat Netherhall in a promotion play-off game).

Disappearing from the League radar are De La Salle, the Salford club who have had several run-ins over the years against Cumbrian opposition.

They were relegated on disciplinary grounds to North Lancs One.

Remarkably all five Cumbrian sides have been handed away trips on the opening League day of the season – September 13.

Keswick travel to Aldwinians; Kirkby Lonsdale are at Burnley; Upper Eden visit Fleetwood; Wigton go to Oldham and Workington travel to take on Tyldesley.

The sixth game in the League sees Heaton Moor entertain Vale of Lune.