January 26, 2002

by Steve Coulter

A DELUGE throughout the county on Friday played havoc with the scheduled Cumberland Amateur Rugby League programme - completely wiping out the first round of the Jennings Cumberland Cup and Second Division encounter at Clifton.

The only game to go ahead was the top of the table Alliance clash between Kells 'A' and leaders Hensingham 'A', who retained their unbeaten record with a 16-6 victory over their nearest challengers.

Only Seaton, mathematically, can prevent Hensingham landing the title and next weeks showdown between the two could see the Richmond side take the crown.

While Hensingham gained the points it was Kells' 16-year-old centre Scott Lofthouse who earned the plaudits with a faultless display, which earned him both the vice-presidents Man-of-the-match award and the prestigious Raymond Doran Memorial Trophy - awarded annually in the first home game played after the new year.

Both sides, with more than a sprinkling of experienced personnel in their ranks, thrived on the early clashes, and it took a 13th minute penalty from Kells scrum-half David Agnew to break the deadlock.

Eleven minutes later and the scores were level again when Hensingham stand-off Dean Laverick landed a reciprocal penalty for the visitors.

With less than a minute of the half remaining BARLA Young Lion Craig McAvoy put Hensingham ahead with a scintillating individual try from deep inside his own quarter to edge the title favourites ahead.

Four minutes after the resumption second-rower Dave Thomas increased Hensingham's advantage when he crashed over for a touchdown, improved again by Laverick.

The visitors however, didn't have it all their own way and Kells were unfortunate on four occasions when they crossed the line only to be brought back for infringements.

Hensingham edged to a comfortable 16-2 advantage when former BARLA Player of the Year, Richard Todd strolled over for an unimproved try.

Substitute forward Michael Scowcroft claimed a consolation score for Kells eight minutes from the end.

FROM the opening kick-off St.Nicholas set the tone of a classic GMB Union National Cup second-round tie against CMS Yorkshire Premier League Division One leaders East Hull with some particularly innovative attacking flair and punishing defence.

Saints opening was bright, clever and incisive, but amazingly found themselves 10-0 adrift after 26 minutes when Easts capitalised on their numerical advantage after home prop Richard Nicholson was yellow-carded for lying-on in the tackle.

Half-back Gary Blanchard finished off some enterprising approach play from Jason Abdul and centre Phil Colclough after 8 minutes with a try he converted himself. And six minutes later the lead was stretched to ten points when the Dragons' second-row-forward Lee Raspin barged over.

Craig Stalker, again used with great effect at loose-forward, rallied Nichs with some judicious running and deft passes which paid dividends on 35 minutes when he latched on to a telling kick through to score a fine touchdown.

Nichs, with their tails-up were level a minute before the break. The Humbersiders lost control in the tackle, and in their eagerness to regather the ball ricocheted back over the try line and Saints winger David Peacock - making his first appearance of the season in place of Australia bound Andy Sawyers - was first to react, and also added the goal.

There was little change after the break as the Carlisle side carried a torch towards the Hull line and twice in as many minutes almost took the lead, but failed to ground properly over the visitors line.

Saints' strong showing was anchored with five-star contributions by forwards Tony Scott, Tony Palmer and the exuberant Nicholson, while most of their attacks seemed aimed at getting outside the Dragons' compressed line.

Steve Bitcome was outstanding at full-back for the hosts and confidently took a welter of high-balls directed at the home line. But a mix-up on 56 minutes allowed Hull to retake the lead when hooker Gary Weymem sneaked between the posts directly from a play-the-ball. Blanchard tagged on the goal, and despite a powerful effort from Nichs in the last quarter Easts hung-on for victory.

St. Nicholas chairman Craig McCulloch said: "The whole team performed remarkably well. It was probably our best team performance of the season.

"It was a tremendous advert for the game of Rugby League in Carlisle by two evenly matched sides.

"Props Richard Nicholson and Michael Collins led the way in the forwards, with Tony Scott giving his usual 100 per cent effort.

"Alan McDermott, when he came on made a lot of yards in a typical aggressive manner.

"The Stalker brothers and Lee Marsden formed that crucial triangle that always gives you a chance of winning any game.

WIGTON and Blackbrook started their second-round GMB Union National Cup tie at a cracking pace with the forward confrontations dominating play.

Both sides thrived on the early clashes, and there was little in it at the break, the visitors ahead 10-4.

Prop Mark Deans, in his third game back since breaking his arm last season was in awesome form and with the half-back pairing of John Hodgson and Justin Bennett causing all sorts of problems for the North West Counties Division One leaders, a repeat of the first round result at Batley Boys was a strong possibility.

However, Blackbrook's experience prevailed in the end and the St. Helens side ran out 26-4 winners.

But they had to work hard before finally overcoming a spirited Wigton challenge. A Dave Llewelyn try and three goals from stand-off Andy Shaw against two Bennett penalties had Blackbrook 10-4 ahead at half-time.

A second-half try from Shaw that he goaled himself gave the visitors some breathing space, but a opportunist touchdown from hooker Scott Lyon finally broke Wigton's resistance. Shaw added the conversion and rounded off his 14 points tally with a try in the final minute.

Wigton secretary Ronnie Teasdale was rather disappointed with the margin of defeat.

"Blackbrook are probably a better team than we allowed them to be today. The lads were really fired up for the game and pushed them all the way, he said.

"Mark Deans was simply stupendous and undoubtedly the best player on view. Another couple like him and we would be unbeatable.

"Half-backs John Hodgson and Justin Bennett gave their opposite numbers plenty to think about for the full eighty minutes.

"We probably didn't use the conditions to our own advantage, but we are basically a young team getting better all the time.

"We had them rocking at times but just couldn't get the vital breakthrough. The final score doesn't really reflect the overall closeness of the game.

VETERAN Ideal Isberg player-coach Terry Smirk proved too hot to handle as he led his side to a comfortable 30-8 GMB Union National Cup victory over Egremont Rangers.

The Conference Premier Division side were in cruise mode for most of the game and Egremont were never seriously in the hunt from the moment Smirk kicked the home side ahead with a 5th minute penalty.

Smirk, on the sidelines for a couple of months due to work commitments, was an inspiration to the Yorkshire side at loose-forward and proved instrumental in their first try after 15 minutes when he combined with stand-off Phil Batty to send winger Carl Ullyatt hurtling over the line. Smirk added the conversion.

Darren Block reduced the arrears to 8-2 with a penalty on 21 minutes, but the joy was short lived as Smirk again engineered a try for prop-forward Jez Hartley. He added the goal and also landed a penalty a minute before half-time for a commanding 16-2 interval lead.

Three minutes into the second stanza and BARLA International back-rower Dave Ward worked an opening for industrious scrum-half Rob Shaw to shoot over for an unconverted try.

The score of the game came just after the hour when Batty made a brilliant weaving break, beating five would be tacklers before off-loading to substitute Mark Cassidy to apply the finishing touches. Smirk again added the extras.

Egremont did fight back and it was nothing less than they deserved when hooker Mark Beckwith - outstanding all afternoon - crossed in the final quarter. Block added the goal.

Middle-back Anthony Chambers wrapped up the tie for Isberg with a touchdown just before the final whistle.

NO other professional club outside the county boundaries has had a greater affinity with Cumberland Amateur Rugby League players than Huddersfield. And on Sunday they had the opportunity to observe first-hand the cream of the present crop in the third round of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Challenge Cup.

CARL Champions Wath Brow Hornets stunned the Northern Ford Premiership league leaders with a try three minutes into the tie from winger Craig Calvert, before finally going down 44-4 to the former Super League outfit.

Centre Gary Elliot made a powerful 50 metres break, the move was continued by stand-off Carl Rudd and Calvert shot over in at the corner with Giants full-back Paul Reilly desperately hanging on. Gavin Curwen's attempted conversion floated agonisingly wide of the post.

The margin could have been extended ever further moments later when a magnificent 20/40 kick from Rudd gave Hornets great field position. And from the ensuing play were awarded a free-kick directly in front of the posts, Curwen, uncharacteristically pulled his kick wide.

Shocked by the early onslaught, Huddersfield hit back almost immediately through huge centre Eorl Crabtree who burst through Brow's defensive line on 10 minutes for an equalising try in the corner.

Five minutes later Hornets knocked-on and Giants scrum-half Chris Thorman nipped round the blind-side to go 20 metres to score beneath the posts, he tagged on the goal and the home side led 10-4.

Hooker Paul March extended the lead after 19 minutes with the first of his two tries. Papua New Guinea International stand-off Stanley Gee made the initial break down the middle, Thorman in support took the pass and handed on to March who crashed over. Thorman popped over the goal.

Gene, who continually tested Hornets defence all afternoon, broke free just before half-time to race 40 metres down the right touchline to fling himself in at the corner. Thorman again added the two points for a 20-4 half-time lead.

Six minutes into the second period and the alert March was in for his second, he tried to feed second-rower Rob Roberts close to Hornets line and when an attempted interception was knocked-forward, the hooker scooped up the ball to flop between the posts and give Thorman the easiest of conversions.

Giants right-winger Hefin O'Hare scored the best try of the game on 56 minutes, side-stepping his way through massed ranks to score by the side of the posts after some delightful and intricate passing from impressive half-backs Gene and Thorman.

The winger was over again four minutes later after centre Crabtree juggled the ball, before hacking towards the corner for O'Hare to chase and pick-up before grounding close to the corner flag. Thorman goaled both.

Thorman capped a superb personal afternoon with the final try of the game on 69 minutes, breaking through the Brow defence to slide in under the posts for a touchdown, he again converted.

It was a brave effort by the Cleator Moor side with fine performances all over the Park. Scott Anderson picked-up Hornets Man-of-the-match award, while Gary Elliot and prop Paul Davidson also turned in eye-catching performances. Andrew Stables and Scott Teare both came off the bench to add to their reputations.

Hornets secretary Barry Smith said: "It's been a great experience for the lads and a day we will all remember for a long time.

"Huddersfield have been magnificent since the draw was first made. They sent up a couple of jumpers for us to raffle and have been supportive in every aspect.

"Even the game itself produced no more than two penalties for foul play - it's been a wonderful experience and we couldn't have been treated any better."

HUDDERSFIELD: Paul Reilly; Hefin O'Hare, Eorl Crabtree, Ben Cooper, Chris Langley; Stanley Gene, Chris Thorman; Mick Slicker, Paul March, Jeff Wittenberg, David Atkins, Robert Roberts, Steve McNamara. Subs: Matt Whittaker, Chris Molyneaux, Adam Hayes, Graeme Hallas.

WATH BROW HORNETS: Gavin Curwen; Craig Calvert, Ian Rooney, Gary Elliot, Gary Clark; Carl Rudd, Andrew Hocking; Jonty Moore, Scott Anderson, David Currie, Mark Troughton, Paul Davidson, Neil Stewart. Subs: Craig Johnston, Andrew Stables, Gary Todd, Scott Teare.

* FLIMBY failed to raise enough players for their Division Two game at high-flying Lowca.