November 24, 2001

By Steve Coulter

WIGTON'S tale of woe continued at Kells' Welfare Ground where they lost 48-4 - their eighth straight league defeat of the season.

Kells by comparison cut loose to produce some sparkling football with 16-year-old winger Scott Lofthouse picking up the Man-of-the-match award for his outstanding two-try performance.

It was a very polished performance from Kells and a result which propelled them into the top four for the first time this season.

Scrum-half Paul 'Chipper' Graham put Wigton behind the eight ball as early as the second minute when he crossed for a try, which he also converted.

Wigton replied with an unconverted try from Ricky Holliday four minutes later, and held Kells until the 18th minute when winger Carl Kirkbride ran in the first of a brace of tries.

Youngster, Lofthouse increased Kells advantage to twelve points when he crossed for the first of his two touchdowns after 22 minutes. Graham added the goal.

Powerful prop Lee Rutherford, crashed over the visitors line on 36 minutes, with Graham again converting. And Kirkbride completed his double strike a minute from the break. Graham added the goal for an unassailable 28-4 half-time lead.

Four minutes after the restart full-back Ross McBride joined the attack to slide over for a try and centre Ian Brannon followed him with a classy score five minutes later. The latter improved by Graham.

Winger Phil Walker scored Kells eighth try of the afternoon on 51 minutes, with Lofthouse skipping over for the last try on 77 minutes. Graham slotted the goal.

EGREMONT RANGERS failed to gain revenge for their opening day defeat by Seaton Rangers when they went down 8-16 at Gillfoot Park on Friday evening.

Egremont opened brightly enough, but it was a familiar story of relentless pressure not being reflected on the scoreboard.

Nevertheless, the home side took the lead through a Andrew Hinde penalty after 15 minutes, and could have doubled the lead five minutes later, but this time Hinde's goal attempt was wide of the mark.

Seaton almost went in front after 29 minutes, when a towering kick took a wicked bounce in front of home full-back Russell Beckwith. Seaton forced the ball over the line, but was adjudged to have been knocked forward by the referee.

The visitors drew level three minutes later when Duncan Moyle slotted over a penalty.

A quickly taken tap on 35 minutes by Rodney Turnbull caught Egremont napping and Moyle sneaked in at the corner to give Seaton a lead they never lost.

Seaton began the second half confidently playing down the hill and Stuart Ackerley made a great break after 45 minutes only to be halted when Egremont were penalised for offside. Moyle missed the resultant kick.

The Allerdale side were having the better of the exchanges with vastly experienced Colin Armstrong leading by example, and only a vigorous scrambling defence preventing them from increasing their lead.

Hinde kicked his second penalty of the game after 50 minutes to reduce the deficit to two points.

Stand-off Richard George made a magnificent curving break for Seaton on the hour and a pin-point pass saw winger Martin Wilson squeezing in at the corner for an unimproved touchdown.

Egremont stepped-up their effort in the final quarter, and relentless pressure on the Seaton defence almost brought a try in the 65th minute when Steve Morris and John Young combined to engineer an opening for Garth Crooks. Seaton however, held firm and the chance was lost.

The breakthrough eventually came when a flowing attack saw winger Kevin Brown crossing for a try with three minutes remaining on the clock. Hinde missed the touchline kick.

At 8-10, Egremont had a fighting chance, but Seaton built one final attack to send ex-Workington Town scrum-half Stuart Ackerley scooting in right on the stroke of full-time. Moyle landed the goal.

Egremont spokesman Stephen Bowes was a disappointed man in his post match analysis.

"Seaton looked a very useful side and their youngsters were full of running.

"They were more methodical on attack than Egremont. They used dummy runners to good effect and their ball play was neat and tidy.

"If anything, they probably lacked a little bit of self belief to kill the game off when they led 10-4. But that will come as they mature and gain more experience.

"Russell Beckwith had a decent first game of the season for Egremont, while Stephen Long produced some intelligent running after the break and John Young, as usual, never let the side down.

"We are just lacking that extra guile at the moment and can't convert pressure into points." he said.

Seaton coach Paul Hodgson was obviously buoyed by the result.

"It was our best performance for some considerable time, particularly our defence, which was awesome.

We played at a fast pace, and our double markers worked well." he said.

HENSINGHAM compounded their recent revival with a 8-0 victory over Ellenborough Rangers at Solway Park.

The hosts had a disjointed look about them and entered the match with just fourteen of their 25 man squad available. Seven were injured, three others were unavailable for selection, while another was serving out a suspension.

But for the second time this season the Copeland side prevented Rangers getting on the scoreboard, having won the opening day confrontation by a single goal.

Hensingham opened at speed and a couple of chances went begging before Glyn Hyslop charged in for the only try of the game after 12 minutes.

While the first-half was relatively even, Hensingham did show glimpses of intelligent attack and rock-solid defence which had Ellenborough searching for answers they never found.

Ellenborough didn't help themselves with some atrocious handling that deteriorated alarmingly as the game wore on - completing only three of thirteen sets of six during the second period.

BARLA Under-21 International stand-off-half Craig McAvoy landed two goals to wrap-up the win. The second after Paul McGee was penalised for a high tackle.

Ellenborough chairman Wilson Smith wasn't his usual cheery self after an unexpected defeat.

"Hensingham come up with the points, and at the end of the day that's the name of the game.

"Our ball security was appalling in the second half when we only completed three sets of six.

"You can't win matches with with a possession ratio like that." he said.

A GLORIOUS try, shrewd football brain and countless crucial tackles from inside-back Lee 'The Boy' Hunter, provided the key to a stunning 46-15, victory for Westfield over Glasson Rangers.

It was a classy effort from Graeme McKenzie's men who showed no mercy to Rangers as they crossed for seven tries.

The scoreline gives little credit to a Rangers side who worked hard, played some fluent football and in centre Mark Smith had the games' top-scorer with two tries, three goals and a field goal.

But Hunter was at the core of Westfield's aggressive attack and had a hand in almost every creative move of note.

Ahead 19-11 at the interval, Westfield's other tries came from Hunter's co-centre Alan Stoddart, full-back Ryan Blair, half-back Mark Rooke and forwards Nicky Williamson, David Pettit and Lee Briscoe. Rooke kicked 9 goals.

Westfield coach Graeme McKenzie was simply drooling about Lee Hunter's performance.

"He was simply outstanding again today, he set everything up for us and even Glasson commented on his impact during the game.

"How he doesn't walk into the county side is beyond me, and would suggest the selectors take a good look at him before the next squad is chosen.

"Mark Rooke and Ryan Blair also played out of their skins. It was a good all-round team performance." he said.

A STUPENDOUS thirty-six point haul from full-back Gavin Curwen set Wath Brow Hornets on course to their tenth straight win of the season as visitors St. Nicholas crumbled 62-0.

From the opening minutes it was clear that Nichs were in for a stormy afternoon. They defended for the full eighty minutes with the Stalker brothers, Martin and Craig, and veteran Andrew Hodgkinson worthy of mention in a truly courageous team effort.

Hornets turned on a show of blistering attack that caught an understrength Carlisle outfit completely unprepared.

Curwen's huge contribution was added to with tries from young winger Paul Byers, half-back pair Carl Rudd and Andrew Hocking, forward David Currie and substitutes Gary Elliot and Scott Teare.

BATTLING Maryport were dumped 34-0 at the Mealpot by a Wath Brow Hornets 'A' outfit with more than a sprinkling of first division experience.

The League leaders began tentatively, took an early lead, and absorbed some spirited Maryport pressure to maintain and increase it.

But all too often Maryport ruined promising positions when they looked like getting on a roll by rushing passes and dropping the ball.

With stand-off Gary Todd and hooker Neil McCartney calling the shots, Hornets literally ripped the hosts apart, time and again.

Brow led 20-0 at the break and were full value for their victory which included two touchdowns for Paul Clements - one a stunning length of the field effort.

Hornets other tries came through Paul Farrell, James Robinson, Ashley Chambers and hooker McCartney. Tony Gregg booted five goals.

Young prop-forward Scott Adams had an outstanding game in Maryport's pack, while centre Stephen Cameron and stand-off Gary Southwell had their usual solid games.

Maryport secretary Paul Williamson wasn't too disappointed with the Maryport performance.
"We had nine under-18s playing today against a Wath Brow side that would more than hold their own in the first division.

"I thought they had sent their first team by mistake when I saw them line-up.
"Their defence was absolutely spot-on and we just couldn't break them down. Twice we had them pinned on their own line and they regained possession to go for length of field tries." he said.

BROUGHTON RED ROSE who have campaigned admirably on the platform of a punishing and relentless forward pack this season made hard work of overcoming a stubborn Clifton outfit 30-16.

It was a match that never reached any great heights, with both sides willing to push their passes without contemplating the end result.

Red Rose have underachieved at times this season, including an inexplicable heavy defeat at Lowca a fortnight ago. But they still had enough in reserve to take the points, against a Lions side still trying to find its feet.

Clifton, behind 6-16 at half-time never gave up the ghost and scored tries through John Gaston, Mark Walker and Ian 'Tut' Johnston. Wayne Walker converting two.

David Thurlow replied for Red Rose with fourteen points from a try and five goals, while Tim Taylor, Ryan Scales, Brian Edgar and Robert Taylor all weighed in with a try apiece.

LOWCA maintained their rapid rise up the second division with a heart-stopping 23-22 victory over a desperately unlucky Salterbeck Storm.

An intense first half of a compelling game saw Storm race into a 16-8 lead and the prospects of a fourth win of the season looked increasingly likely.

The hosts looked extremely vulnerable during the first forty minutes, and their lack of strength up front exposed their less gifted backs to the superior speed of their Salterbeck counterparts.
However, Lowca regrouped at the break and cut loose in the second stanza to win a game they rarely looked like salvaging.

Former Workington Town professional Lee Allen led the Lowca comeback with a valuable brace of tries and was on hand to slot over the all important one-pointer.

Further tries from Richard Haile and Philip Anderson, plus three Lee Weighman goals completed the home sides scoring.

Steve Milnes, Tom Ireland, Paul 'Shot' Hodgson and Eugene McNicholas answered with tries for the Storm, while player-coach Vince McNicholas landed three goals.

IT took Seaton 'A' just 50 minutes to secure the two points on offer, in what was incredibly their first outing since the 23-14 defeat by Hensingham on 29, September.

Seaton rolled out the heavy artillery to lead 10-2 at the break, and from that point Egremont never looked like getting back into the game.

Ben Price put Seaton in front after just four minutes and Shaun Johnsen increased the lead with a try after 28 minutes. Mark Benson converted for a handsome 10-0 lead.

Egremont put points on the board seven minutes before the break with a Glen Stewart penalty.

Stewart pulled the score back to 10-4 with another penalty four minutes into the second-half, before a double strike between the 47th and 50th minutes by Andrew Melville sealed the match for Seaton. Benson tagged on the extras to the latter try, and Seaton were virtually home and dry at 20-4.

A try from Egremont's Kevin Brown after 65 minutes, converted by Stewart was little more than a token and Ben Steele wrapped the match up for the hosts with a try five minutes from time.

FLIMBY had to call-off the second division clash with Distington after a roll-call revealed 14 players on the injured list - three on crutches.

Flimby secretary Tony Nisbit said:

"Our preparation for the season was obviously hurried and nowhere near what it should have been and we have suffered as a consequence.

"Injuries that would have been shook-off in a matter of days have been aggravated and developed into more serious problems.

"Hopefully we will have enough recovered to fulfill our fixture next week."

Wigton, likewise, called-off their Alliance fixture against Kells 'A' when they couldn't muster enough bodies.