October 20, 2001

By Steve Coulter

TIMELY intervention from Cumberland League fixtures 'guru' Jackie Beech, almost rescued Hensingham and Glasson Rangers from a second week-end of inactivity.

Confirmation that the delayed St. Nicholas and Wigton Jennings Cumbria Cup first-round tie had to proceed on Saturday, meant scheduled league games involving the pair had to be put on ice.

Beech's suggestion that Hensingham and Glasson bring forward their end of season game, met with a favourable response and the match was hastily rearranged - only to be thwarted by the non-availability of a referee!

THE aura of invincibility was again unmistakeable as champions Wath Brow turned on a royal command performance for the visit of Westfield.

It was little consolation for Wests that once again they had brought out the very best in the Hornets.

At times, Brow treated the former title holders with sheer contempt in a 46-12 show of power.

Hornets galloped to a 30 points lead inside the first thirty minutes, and then proceeded to stroll through the final fifty.

The pack is mobile, powerful and skillful, the inside backs can create chances from nothing and in Craig Calvert and Andrew Stables, they have quality out wide.

Brow's most successful ever skipper, Ian Rooney and winger Calvert both grabbed superb hat-tricks, while the destructive Scott Anderson and BARLA Under-23 International Neil Stewart each crossed for well worked tries.

Gavin Curwen with eight goals, was unerring as usual.

There were very few blemishes in a polished display from the Hornets. A display which again clearly highlighted their absolute brilliance in attack, particularly in the star-studded backline.

Forwards Anderson and Stewart were outstanding throughout, returning big games in both attack and defence.

Westfield, for their part, never gave-up and Graeme McKenzie's side scored consolation tries through Lee Halbert, Joe Hewer and Mark Rooke.

HEAVY morning rain in Maryport left Ellenborough's Solway Park ground flooded and their game with First Division newcomers Seaton Rangers was switched to their former Milltofts home.

Seaton, who surprised their hosts last season by holding them to a 20-20 draw, threatened to go one better after taking a third minute lead through a Rodney Turnbull penalty.

While digging in for their finest defensive effort of the season, Seaton revealed a couple more alternatives to their attacking potency and scored second half tries through Andy McGlasson and Mark Taylor.

Ellenborough carved-out two first half tries through lightning strikes from Jason Moore and Reg Goodwin, plus a Paul McGee goal, to lead 10-2 at the break.

Peter Atherton increased that lead in the second period before Seaton rallied with a McGlasson try.

Old-head Ryan Charters, put the issue beyond doubt with a well earned touchdown, before Seaton scored the final try of the game deep into injury time, through Taylor.

Ellenborough chairman Wilson Smith was full of praise for both teams. "It was a top-class game of Rugby League played by two sides committed to playing good open football.

"The conditions were far from ideal, the ball was greasy, but both teams adapted well and produced a very enjoyable match," he said.

KELLS laid the foundation for their 30-7 victory over Egremont Rangers with a combination of sustained forward aggression and some silky backline skill.

But for 40 minutes it was a game that could have gone either way and produced an unlikely half-time scoreline of 2-1 in favour of Kells.

It took a penalty after 31 minutes from the prodigious Ryan Robb to edge the Welfare Ground side in front, while a drop-goal from ex-Whitehaven pro, Mark Beckwith 2 minutes from the break concluded the scoring in a pulsating half.

Kells Full-back Robb, took advantage of his own last tackle kick through to score the opening try of the game after 42 minutes.

The home side went further ahead three minutes later, winning a scrum 20 metres from Rangers' line, Kells worked the ball to David Dickinson in a well rehearsed move for him to slice in between the posts. Robb improved.

Irrepressible Matty Newell engineered Kells next try, drawing in the cover to unleash outstanding center Ian Brannon, who hared 60 metres for a brilliant touchdown. Robb again added the goal.

Substitute Kevin Agnew, came off the bench to add his name to the scoresheet after 51 minutes, finishing off some great work by indefatigable worker Dickinson. Robb slotted home the goal.

Mark Chorley momentarily relived the onslaught for Egremont with a try under the posts on 58 minutes. Darren Block converted.

Kells had the final say after 64 minutes, a flowing movement saw Dean Bragg swing a long ball to winger Phil Walker to score wide-out. Robb landed the goal.

Referee Bob Southward's excellent performance was hailed by Kells secretary Russell Lofthouse.

GEOGRAPHICAL neighbours St.Nicholas and Wigton finally locked-antlers in their first round Jennings Cumbria Cup tie.

Saints took the lead after only 5 minutes with a superbly struck penalty goal from the boot of Andy Sawyers. The joy was short lived however, Justin Bennett levelling matters with a reciprocal penalty in the 10th minute.

The first try came midway through the first-half when the elusive Craig Stalker made a half-break, turned the ball inside to scrun-half Spencer Sharpley who planted the ball down behind the Wigton line. Sawyers obliged with the conversion.

Wigton, playing with great pride hit-back before the break when a wide pass found the exuberant Paul Wiggins, and the winger squeezed in at the corner to make it 8-6.

Justin Bennett reduced the arrears even further with an early second-half field-goal for the Barton Laws outfit, but that proved to be the end of the visitors scoring.

The gamebreaking try came from big Alan McDermott, charging over the line with half a dozen defenders desperately trying to halt his progress. Sawyers added the goal.

Sawyers turned tryscorer 7 minutes from the end when he shot through for a try, which he again converted.

The final act of the afternoon in a 22-7 victory, was left to Craig Stalker, who fielded a 'bomb' on his own 22 metres line, and set off on a mesmerising run to the Wigton line to record a memorable individual try.

THE 68-13 scoreline in favour of Wath Brow Hornets 'A' was of little consequence.

For Flimby, all that mattered was they were up and running again with a side containing a mixture of veterans and untried youngsters.

It was a splendid performance from the Villagers with veterans Jackson Irving, Stan Hughes, Alan McGeen, Paul Harrison and Steve Ditchburn leading the revival.

Ditchburn and Keith Hesketh scored the home tries, while Wayne Dustin added goals to both.

For Hornets however, it was business as usual and they scored thirteen tries through Paul Farrell, three, Mark Connery, two, Jonty Moore two, and one apiece from Paul Byers, Johnny Lopez, Paul Clements, Gary Brown, Derry Eilbeck and Graham Mattinson. Tony Gregg slotted over eight conversions.

Flimby secretary Tony Nisbit was delighted at the end of their first match back in the League.

"We put a full seventeen players out today. It's a long time since we have had that luxury.

"We will improve as we get a few more games under our belts, but for the moment we are just happy to be out there competing.

"Everybody enjoyed themselves, a few are a little bit sore, but they expected that. One told me he was ok from the eyebrows up!," he said.

MARYPORT snatched a dramatic 23-22 victory in the dying seconds of a thrill-a-minute Second Division encounter against Lowca at the Athletic Ground.

Lowca, acknowledged by a Maryport official as the better team, were desperately unlucky to come away empty handed and a draw at least, would have been just reward.

Maryport built-up a 12-8 advantage by the interval, but Lowca came back strongly during the second period and with the scores locked at 22-22, Andew Cartwright landed an injury-time field goal to steal both points.

David Colley grabbed a brace of tries for the visitors and other Lowca touchdowns came through Dean Finlay and Gary Haile. Lee Weighman kicked three goals.

Maryport answered with tries from the fast maturing Mark Foster, Mark Ivison and Stephen Cameron. Andrew Cartwright landed five goals and that all important one-pointer.

Referee Bob Gordon was complimented on his excellent handling of a game played in atrocious conditions.

BROUGHTON Red Rose lost the Second Division leadership despite a comprehensive 46-0 defeat of Penrith at Winters Park.

Wath Brow's win at Flimby meant they moved back to the top with a slender points difference of three.

Broughton dominated every facet of a one sided game and had built-up a 26-0 lead at the break.

Free-scoring Ryan Moore took his try total for the season to eleven with another three neatly taken touchdowns. Others to cross for Red Rose were Wayne Bell, Brian Edgar, Steve Brough, Robert Taylor and Richard Campbell. David Thurlow kicked seven goals.

Wigton, still rooted to the bottom of the ladder without a win, can take great credit from a courageous defensive performance - for whom Andrew Richardson was outstanding.

HENSINGHAM 'A' raced four points clear at the head of the Alliance League after a 40-0 victory at Glasson Rangers 'A'.

Twenty unanswered points in each half left a very young Rangers outfit still seeking their first win of the season.

Lee Shilton, two, Mike Rodgerson, two, Alan Morgan, two, Neil Starkey and Andrew Robinson claimed tries for Hensingham. Neil Waddington adding four goals.

KELLS 'A' lost their unbeaten record 12-14 in an incident-packed Friday night showdown with Egremont Rangers 'A' at Gillfoot Park.

The game kicked-off five minutes late after a problem with the floodlight system and the lethargy which surrounded it appeared to follow into the game itself.

It was stalemate for the first twenty-minutes with both defences well in control.

Kells, however took the lead on one of their first raids into Egremont territory after 20 minutes, through a try in the corner by Stephen Mattinson.

Egremont regained possession right from the kick-off and a couple of tackles later, the evergreen Mark Jacques was a popular scorer, when he crashed over for the equalising score.

Ten minutes into the second-half Dylan Stainton was awarded a controversial try. A kick through by brother Warren, was fumbled by the Kells defence and Dylan followed through to ground the ball. Kells argued the ball had gone dead, but the try was given by referee, Stuart Johnston.

A penalty on 52 minutes by David Agnew clawed Kells back to within two points at 6-8.

The game erupted into a brawl on the hour, resulting in three dismissals, Kells stand-off Terry Moynes and winger Stuart Kelly got their marching orders along with Egremont prop Alan Bewley. It was a particularly unsavory incident which left one Egremont player bleeding profusely from a gaping head wound.

Three minutes later, with order restored, Egremont went further in front after a long pass found winger Ben Walker, who crossed in the corner. Warren Stainton converted from the touchline.

Kells rallied briefly towards the end and scrum-half Agnew went in for a late try, which he converted himself.

Egremont Spokesman Stephen Bowes, was clearly shaken by the evenings events.

"What had been a fairly unattractive game was completely defaced by the second-half brawl.

"It was quite disturbing to watch and a pretty ugly affair. I don't know what brought it about, but it was certainly a game to forget.

"On a positive note, it was a good result for Egremont, they probably surprised themselves and certainly the jubilation at the final whistle would certainly suggested that.

"Full-back Chris Butler had a big game for Rangers, while Kells' David Agnew was probably the most talented player on view," he said.

The Second Division game between Distington and Salterbeck Storm was a late cancellation when the home side could only raise eleven players.

Westfield again failed to produce a team for their Alliance fixture at Seaton and have consequently been expelled for the remainder of the season.