December 1, 2001

By Steve Coulter

THE struggle for league points was temporally halted as all attention focused on sudden-death football, with first round ties in both E. B. Lamb Amateur Cup and the newly sponsored Challenge Cup.

Wath Brow Hornets and Ellenborough Rangers kept Cumbrian interest alive in the Challenge Cup with superb away wins, while Seaton Rangers or Westfield look a good outside bet to reach the Amateur Cup final after progressing to the quarter-final stage.

Referee Brian Conaway, in consultation with both coaches, brought the E. B. Lamb Amateur Cup first-round tie between Kells and Salterbeck to a premature end just after the hour mark.

With the Welfare Ground waterlogged the tie was switched to the Big Waite, and with arctic blasts threatening wholesale hypothermia, the match was sensibly terminated with Kells well in command at 50-6.

Armed with a major share of possession Kells had two tries on the board before Salterbeck realised what had happened.

In the opening period of play it was vintage football from Kells with the home side subjecting the visitors to heavy pressure.

Kells took the lead in the 6th minute through scrum-half Terry Moynes and doubled their lead three minutes later when classy loose-forward Dean Bragg crashed in. Both goal attempts were missed in winds approaching gale force.

There was plenty of feeling between the sides, some tough hard play and flashes of brilliant running and handling in extremely difficult conditions.

Exquisite stand-off-half Chris Brannon crossed for the hosts third try on 14 minutes, and his conversion put Kells in a commanding 14-0 lead. And well on their way to a seven game unbeaten run.

Salterbeck inside-back Andrew Fearon sparked a brief recovery with a brilliant solo try on 17 minutes. Half-back Paul Hodgson converted, but that was the last of the visitors scoring.

Hooker Sean High extended the Copeland sides' lead midway through the half with a nicely created try, which Chris Brannon again converted.

In Dean Bragg, Kells had the most impressive player on view, his forceful running, thoughtful off-loads in difficult situations and tireless defence, crossed for his second touchdown on 24 minutes with a brilliant 50 metre sprint to the line. Chris Brannon again added the extras to give Kells a 26-6 lead at the break.

Long-striding 18-years-old full-back Ross McBride joined the attack to step in for a try a minute after the restart, reinforcing the hosts grip on the game. Chris Brannon again added the extras.

With the icy-conditions almost unbearable, centre Ian Brannon crossed twice in a thirteen minute spell between the 45th and 59th minute, in a game that was by then completely out of Salterbeck's reach. Brother Chris converted both.

By the time winger Darren Wilson raced in for a try after 62 minutes, both sets of players were past caring. Chris Brannon's conversion proved to be the last act, as both teams immediately left the elements behind for the comfort of the dressing rooms.

IMPRESSIVE Seaton were in total command of their first round tie against Maryport and maintained the upper-hand to coast into the next round 40-10.

The game was switched to Distington's Grass Road ground after Seaton's pitch was flooded by severe rain during the preceding twenty-four hours.

Seaton - controlled and disciplined throughout - continually capitalised on Maryport's mistakes. Rangers punishing defence was the cornerstone of their victory. They stunned the Maryport attack with fierce body checks, and then proceeded to wrap-up the tie with some venomous attack.

Full-back Mark Taylor got the first division side off to the best possible start with a try in the fifth minute. Duncan Moyle converted for a 6-0 lead.

Three minutes later and explosive centre Brett Heron hurtled through for a superb touchdown. Moyle again added the goal.

Maryport, without the potency of Mark Foster and Andrew Cartwright - both on Service Area North Under-18s duty - rallied, and were rewarded with an unconverted 13th minute try from veteran centre Frankie DeGraff.

Winger Les Smallwood, showing glimpses of the predatory instinct that saw him head the League try-scoring charts a couple of seasons ago, glided in after 18 minutes to restore Seaton's twelve point cushion.

Maryport's Gary Southwell gave his side some hope with a try, converted by Gary Anderson. Before Taylor grabbed his second touchdown of the afternoon for Rangers. Moyle converted.

Seaton began the second period in ominously fluent style and coupled with an obvious desire, allied to far better pack discipline extended their lead to 28-4 on the hour, with a crushing try and conversion from winger Moyle.

Two minutes later prop Mike Melville barged over for the home side and rampaging centre Paul West completed the scoring in the 70th minute. Moyle improved both.

Seaton secretary David Steele was relieved the game was actually played.

"We are very grateful to the Distington club committee who offered us their excellent facilities.

"Our own ground was under water and had no chance of being playable. The last thing we wanted was to start getting a backlog of fixtures and Distington came to our rescue.

"Props Mike and Andrew Melville had excellent games for Seaton, and both played the full eighty minutes in strength sapping conditions." he said.

SECOND Division Lowca started their tie against first division Westfield in cracking fashion when David Colley swooped on a great inside pass to score a superb try. Lee Weighman added the conversion.

One of the features of a good old fashioned cup-tie was the power-laden defence of both teams. It was tough and bruising and a credit to the players' resilience that they could keep up the pace to the finish.

Westfield, inspired by playmaking maestro Lee Hunter, hit back when the young centre created an opening for himself - leaving Mark Rooke a relatively easy conversion.

Lowca surged back after Rooke had increased the hosts lead to 8-4 with a penalty. And drew level with a determined score from Dean Finlay.

Second-row-forward Lee Briscoe edged Westfield in front before the break with a supercharged touchdown. Rooke converted for a 14-8 interval lead.

With chances at a premium, the hosts always looked more dangerous on attack and in the end a combination of greater power, pace, solid defence and the intuitive ability to keep the ball moving won the match - but only just.

Lowca had their chances to win the match and looked the more likely to score a clincher in the dying moments.

Full-back Ryan Blair crossed twice in the second-half for Westfield, while stand-off Rooke also burrowed over, and added a third conversion.

Stuart Ennis and Richard Haile scored second-half touchdowns for Lowca, with Weighman adding four goals.

Westfield coach Graeme McKenzie was pleased with the result after Lowca staged a dramatic comeback in the last twenty minutes.

"We seemed to relax during the final quarter when we allowed Lowca back into a game we looked to have cut and dried.

"Another five minutes and I have no doubt they would have snatched it. It was that close.
"The 'Three Amigos' Ryan Blair, Mark Rooke and Lee Hunter had their usual solid games again, and we just about deserved it, taken over the eighty minutes." he said.

SUPERIOR speed and spontaneity gave Hensingham the edge, and a 48-12 victory over St. Nicholas at Gilford Park

The first twenty minutes was completely according to script. The ultimate softening-up period, in which two teams with an obsessive commitment to defence sought only to iron each other out.

The first half, especially, was full of tidy play from both sides, but it was Hensingham who always looked likelier to score, especially in a productive spell just before the break when Saints came under sustained pressure.

But it was the Hensingham defensive line who stole the show. They stood up to everything thrown at them in the early stages and then went on a scoring spree.

The Carlisle side clearly missed their ex-pro trio of Craig and Martin Stalker, and Tony Scott, to a far greater extent than than Hensingham missed their contingent.

It was a spirited effort by Nichs. But once Dean Laverick's men got into their stride, they had the home side rocking on their heels with a nine try super show.

Star billing for Hensingham went to Lee Shilton who ran in a hat-trick of touchdowns for the visitors, while the precocious talent of Craig McAvoy yielded two tries and six goals. Gary Turnbull, Paul Street, Chris Coward and Craig Woodend crossed for one apiece.

Nichs tries came from the versatile Tony Palmer, and skipper Richard Nicholson. Keith Shaw kicked two goals.
GLASSON Rangers 'A' moved of the foot of the Alliance League ladder with a 46-0 victory over Wigton 'A'.

Rangers first win of the season had been a long time coming. But the manner of the victory, against a Wigton side also looking for its first points of the campaign, made it worth waiting for.

Rangers scored nine tries without reply in a contest well refereed by Barry Sharrock.

Dean Scholey top-scored for the Grasslot outfit with twenty points from a hat-trick of tries and four goals. Binza Barlow crossed for a brace, while there was one apiece for Ryan Steele, Graham Thompson, Mark Smith and veteran Mark McGlasson. Greg Rowley was on target with a single goal.

THE Rugby League Challenge Cup still remains the romantic competition, that it has always been. On a day of giant-killing acts Elland, Heworth, Halton Simms Cross and Milford pulled off surprise wins.

But a man-of-the-match performance from Ellenborough's Eddie Robinson and a twenty points haul by Wath Brow's Gavin Curwen were the keys to both West Cumbrian clubs negotiating the first round hurdle successfully.

A try and conversion from stand-off Robinson after only four minutes of their tie at Leeds Metropolitan University set Ellenborough on course for a 32-14 victory against the students.

Full-back Peter Atherton increased Elbra's advantage when he skipped over for a try on 8 minutes, and with Robinson adding the goal the Maryport side looked comfortable.

The University outfit came back strongly and Robert Keegan finished off a flowing movement to reduce the arrears with a try after 11 minutes.

Ellenborough built a series of raids on the home line and Philip Hoyles crossed after 20 minutes, when the Maryport side swept upfield again with some excellent ball movement. Robinson again, added the extras.

The Met were back in with a shout five minutes later when Sam Turnell barged over for an unconverted try. But winger Neil Humes restored Elbra's fourteen point advantage with a touchdown a minute before the interval.

From then on the Leeds side never looked capable of saving the game and ultimately finished second best.

Humes was again on hand 10 minutes into the second-half to virtually seal the match with a neatly taken try. And when Peter Atherton followed him over the line on 56 minutes, Robinson's conversion clinched the tie.

The final try came on the hour through Mets Danny Wilson. Graham Dobson converting. But by then the game was over as a contest and Elbra shut-up shop for the final tweny-minutes.

WATH Brow struck early in their match against Conference side Hull Dockers to win 25-15 in a tie that saw the lead change hands three times.

Scrum-back Andrew Hocking had Hornets on the scoreboard within two minutes of the start with an opportunist field-goal.

An incredible struggle ensued for the remainder of the match. Darren Hazelwood swooped to wrestle the lead back for the hosts with a try after four minutes. Before full-back Gavin Curwen raced-in for a ninth minute try, which he converted to edge Hornets back in front.

Curwen and Dockers Chris Stephenson exchanged penalties in the 18th and 20th minutes to leave Brow 9-4 to the good. But Stephenson grabbed the lead back for the Humberside outfit with a try and conversion on the half-hour.

Curwen, with his second penalty success of the afternoon after 34 minutes hauled Hornets to within one point. But Stephenson kicked a penalty on the stroke of half-time to send Dockers in at the break ahead 13-11.

Curwen levelled the tie with a penalty immediately after the restart. Then Stephenson who was a constant problem to Hornets aspirations landed a penalty in the 51st minute, to edge them in front again.

Hornets finally killed off Dockers stubborn challenge with a double strike midway through the half. Johnny Lopez stepped through for the vital try on 58 minutes, and a delighted David Currie delivered the knock-out punch on the hour with a touchdown converted by Curwen.

Curwen completed a memorable victory with a penalty after 70 minutes.

EGREMONT had to call-off their E. B. Lamb Amateur Cup first round tie against Glasson Rangers when a boiler malfunction left the Gillfoot club with neither heating or hot water.

Egremont secretary Ian Hartley said:

"We will be contacting Glasson with a view to completing the fixture at the earliest possible date.

"Hopefully we can play mid-week and we will be offering Glasson the option of coming here sometime during next week."

FLIMBY postponed their scheduled second division fixture with Penrith after their ground was deemed unplayable.

* NORTH SERVICE AREA Under-18 manager Jackie Beech was disappointed but not surprised that Lancashire gained a 23-0 victory at Sheffield's Hillsborough Stadium last Sunday.

"We were on the road from 7.00am, for a lunchtime kick-off. It wasn't ideal preparation for a representative game, and we didn't really perform to the best of our ability.

"Lancashire scored two tries in each half and controlled the match throughout. Hopefully, we will be better prepared when we face Yorkshire at Preston in a fortnights time.

"The final games have been switched to Lancashire because London and the South indicated they were unwilling to travel to Maryport." he said,

* THE North Service Area Under-18s will entertain Austrailian side Penrith Panthers Under-18s at Winters Park, Penrith on January 8th.

* REPRESENTATIVES of the Glasgow club seeking admittance to the Cumberland Amateur Rugby League failed to show up at Wath Brow on Monday evening.

League spokesman Bob Coulter said:

"It was all a bit of a let down. Secretary John Pattinson had left messages on their answer machine and faxed them to finalise travel details, but didn't receive any response.

"I'm sure the clubs would have allowed them in the Cumberland Cup as a trial run, but it looks as though they have had a change of mind."