Rugby union: Cumbria League

Last updated 15:00, Thursday, 21 February 2008

GOSFORTH Greengarth’s four match winning run came to an end at Moresby when they went down 25-8.

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Good BALL: Moresby's Chris Carson sends off a pass

But they had started impressively scoring a try after only five minutes when Matt McGoogan put in a long run before feeding Sean Madden to touchdown.

Madden missed the conversion from in front of the posts.

Moresby are notoriously slow starters and they took a long time to get to grips with a lively Gosforth Greengarth side.

But the visitors weren’t helped with an injury to Madden who had to be replaced and gradually Moresby started to dominate through the forwards.

Neil Peet got an equalising try for Moresby when he charged over from close range although Gosforth Greengarth claimed it had come from a clear knock-on over the line.

Gary Johnston got in for a second Moresby try on 28 minutes and 10 minutes later Raan Bragg added a third.

David Holmes gave Gosforth Greengarth hope when he landed a penalty soon after the restart but although they tried to keep the ball moving in the backs they met sold resistance from the Moresby defence.

Two tries in the space of as many minutes from centre Dean Finley settled the game in Moresby’s favour.

Whitehaven slipped-up in their Cumbria League match at Aspatria Eagles, going down 22-20 in an exciting encounter.

The Eagles produced their best performance since joining the Cumbria League to beat their promotion-chasing visitors.

A Jack Clegg penalty – his fifth of the game – clinched the victory a minute from the end.

Whitehaven out-scored their hosts three tries to one but it was the boot of Clegg which proved the crucial factor.

Coach John Gaffney said: “I think over the 80 minutes the Eagles deserved it. We made too many basic mistakes.”

The Eagles had got off to a flying start with an early try as Kenneth Bowes charged through two tackles to score and Clegg added the conversion. He soon followed-up with the first of his penalties.

Whitehaven reduced the arrears with a Graham Rose penalty and then good play by the backs saw Matthew Giddins cross at the corner for an unconverted try.

Another Clegg penalty edged Aspatria into a 13-8 lead at the break.

Early in the second-half Whitehaven went in front for the first time when winger Luke Scott created a try for Mark Lancaster which Rose converted.

It was nip and tuck now, end-to-end stuff and Clegg soon had the Eagles back in front at 16-15 with a penalty.

Whitehaven responded immediately and Scott raced over for an unconverted try which put them back ahead at 16-20.

Ten minutes from time, Clegg closed the gap with a penalty and then in the last minute, after a penalty had been given for a high tackle, Clegg won the game for the Eagles with a another successful kick.

Gary Blakeley and Michael Gaffney were outstanding in the Whitehaven pack along with 17-year-old lock Calum Richardson.

“I think the one bonus for us on a poor day was the form shown by the three youngsters who came in and did ever so well – Richardson, Scott and Giddins,” said coach Gaffney.

Leaders Keswick maintained their 100 per cent record with a 32-0 home win over Egremont.

The league leaders scored three tries in each half, and were always the sharper side, but Egremont were much improved from when the two sides met last and kept going right to the end.

Good work by John and David Ray on nine minutes created the first of three unconverted tries in the first-half. Jamie McKenzie eventually finished-off.

Keswick chose to use forward Richard Fletcher in the centre and he helped create the second try on 10 minutes for Phil Smith, after initially linking with Matty Roper and Hine.

Egremont had one good opportunity to exert pressure when they kicked a penalty into the corner but Keswick came out in fine style, throwing the ball around and eventually breaking away through Brian Storey.

Ray was constantly in the action for Keswick and soon after the restart he created another try for McKenzie.

It was Ray again, combining with Brian Mol, Carrick Wharmby and Roper to set-up the fifth try for Ashley Gaskell and this was converted by Hine.

Ten minutes from time, Keswick scored a good sixth try when Andy Wallace came into the line and was put in by Hine.

Millom’s scheduled home game with Creighton was postponed when the Carlisle club phoned on Friday afternoon to say they were unable to raise sufficient players.

In North Lancs Cumbria League, St Benedict’s had no game because they were due to travel to Tarleton who dropped out of the League before the season started.

Saints are still involved in a big battle to avoid relegation and would be pleased to see their rivals Oldham go down 44-0 at Workington. Oldham still have to visit Mirehouse and is building into a game which could decide who goes down.

Assuming just two clubs will be going down – as the League is a team short through Tarleton’s pre-season defection – it’s looking like any two from De La Salle, St Benedict’s, Oldham and Didsbury Toc H.

At the moment, De La Salle are bottom on three points with seven games left; St Benedict’s have five with seven left; Oldham have six with seven left and Didsbury have eight with six left.

The big match on Saturday is De La Salle v Oldham while St Benedict’s entertain Fleetwood.

The Cumbria League fixtures for Saturday, February 23 are: Egremont v Workington Steelers; Gosforth Greengarth v Millom; Whitehaven v Moresby