MOST football teams endure many ups and downs during the course of a league season and none more so than the Under 13s of Upperthong and Westend Tigers in Division IV.

Having inflicted a convincing 6-1 defeat on Upperthong earlier in the season, Westend went on a run including four wins and a draw from their next eight games.

But a downturn in fortunes has seen them pick up just three points from their last four games, the latest being a demoralising 10-3 defeat in the return fixture against Upperthong.

And that against a Holme Valley side that, with only two victories from their first 11 games, looked like finishing the season somewhere near the foot of the table.

They have now turned things around, however, and taken maximum points from their last four games.

Westend started brightly enough and for the first five minutes, Upperthong were camped in their own penalty area, but the Tigers’ attacking enthusiasm left them seriously exposed at the back and a quick counter attack started by Alfie Higgins and finished by Josh Jessop gave home side Upperthong an early lead.

Elliott Bamforth, George Orchard and Harrison Radford-Reid looked to have put Westend back on track when, following a terrific run through the middle, Danny Shelton sidefooted the ball expertly past keeper Nathan Redfearn to level the scores at 1-1.

But Westend’s joy was shortlived as, straight from the re-start, a Ben Charlesworth pass found Higgins who scored from close range to restore Upperthong’s lead.

Westend’s day took a turn for the worse two minutes later when a defensive mistake allowed Higgins to notch his second and give Upperthong a two-goal cushion at 3-1.

Another period of Westend pressure ended, yet again, with a swift Upperthong counter attack and an unmarked Higgins celebrated his hat trick to leave Westend with an uphill battle.

Westend failed to learn their lesson and Higgins increased his personal tally to four with a near carbon copy of his previous effort and it was already 5-1.

By now, there was little doubt as to which team would take victory but, to their credit, Westend never gave up and only a superb double save by Nathan Redfearn prevented Matty Dorothak’s initial shot and Bradley Werritt’s follow-up finding the net.

And the Upperthong keeper almost repeated the feat minutes later when he saved another shot from Werritt but, this time, the Westend striker wasn’t to be denied, netting the rebound to leave Westend with just a glimmer of hope at the break, trailing 5-2. Dan Shelton’s hard work on the right kept Upperthong defenders Matthew Button, Aiden Harvey-Franklin and Kieron Dawson busy, but two more goals for Higgins (7-2) early in the second half destroyed any hopes of a Westend fightback.

Sam Travis added another for the home side on the hour mark before Rob Trotter, Max Orchard and Will Jones combined to set up Werritt, who pulled another back for the visitors.

But, with just five minutes remaining, a goal each for Jessop and Travis took Upperthong into double figures and completed the 10-3 scoreline.

Upperthong’s season is a long way from over and, if they can keep this kind of form going, they still have a good chance of making the promotion places.

Meanwhile, Westend have a lot of work to do if they are to stop a worrying slide down the table.