North Two East

Last updated 11:55, Monday, 06 October 2008

Penrith and Pontefract did well to last the course in their North Two East clash at Winters Park as the conditions were atrocious.

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That the game was completed was a credit to both sides who ensured that rugby was the real winner on a day when the proverbial dog would not have been let loose.

In the end Penrith collected two valuable points from a 24-17 victory against creditable opposition.

In the wet and wind the game started at a lively pace with Pontefract looking to run from everywhere and they had the first chance with a line-out on the Penrith line.

The home side defended well and then went close themselves. Steven Wood’s cross kick caught the defence out and Joe Nattrass' pace got him to the ball first. He hacked on only to be knocked off balance by the last defender with the line at his mercy.

Penrith went close from an attacking line-out on the Pontefract line but Wood lost the ball on the line.

Penrith then gifted Pontefract a try after 15 minutes. The Cumbrians won line-out ball on half way and Rob Dawson and David Preston made ground. But when the ball was fed to the backs, a dry weather miss pass went astray only to be gathered by the Pontefract centre who had a clear run in under the posts for a 7-0 lead.

The game was very open with both sides looking to run the ball and Penrith got the next scoring chance with a Wood penalty from 30 metres which he landed.

Penrith were now having the better of the exchanges and good work by the backs put them ahead on the half hour. A Wood miss pass was fielded by Martin Armstrong at outside centre; Wood was round in support to take the return pass and set Gavin Young away for the try. Wood converted.

Penrith extended their lead after forcing a line-out on the Pontefract line. Another Wood cross kick was chased by Nattrass who forced the covering defender into touch. Penrith won the line out and put sustained pressure on the visitors line until James Stainton crashed over from five metres. Wood converted.

Penrith had their lead cut to 17-14 on the stroke of half time. A Pontefract penalty to the corner saw them force their way over from the resultant line-out.

The second half was much less eventful as the conditions worsened and both sides appeared to have punched themselves out in the first 40 minutes.

Penrith again had the better of things and threatened the Pontefract line whereas the visitors hardly threatened at all.

Penrith did extent the gap in the last ten minutes. Armstrong caught his opposite number on his 22 and turned the ball over.

The Penrith pack rumbled towards the line and Ioan Lewis emerged to feed substitute scrum half Toby Slack who handed off the full-back to scramble in under the posts. Wood converted.

Pontefract came hard at the home side from the kick-off and forced them to concede a penalty which pulled them back to within a score at 24-17.

Penrith held out some-what nervously for 11 minutes of stoppage time for a well-earned, workman like victory.

The bad weather also prevailed in the north-east as Aspatria's game at winless Durham City was marred by incessant rain.

Neither team mastered poor conditions, resulting in a game littered with handling errors, although the Black Reds were able to return with the spoils from a 14-0 victory.

In a close first half both teams had periods of dominance and good field position. Aspatria's lighter pack were under pressure in the set piece scrummaging but defensively they were well organised and Durham City looked unlikely to break the line.

The visitors were near to taking the lead on twenty minutes when fly half Mike Scott intercepted a careless Durham pass in his own half.

Scott raced for the line but was closed down by a fast defence and forced to kick. Aspatria winger, Mark Lister just lost out in the footrace for the ball.

At the close of the scoreless first half, intense pressure on Durham's line should have resulted in an Aspatria try but poor handling let the team down.

The second half started in spectacular fashion. A poor restart from Durham City gifted the ball straight into the arms of second row, Mark Cottam.

He made excellent ground before releasing the ball to start the best handling move of the game.

Scrum half Jack Clegg and second-rower Dickie Miller were all present to keep the ball alive before a final pass to number eight Gary Hodgson saw him through under the posts.

Near perfect rugby was completed by Scott adding the conversion.

This early score deflated the home team and Aspatria dominated from that point.

A second and decisive score followed on 55 minutes when Aspatria pressure

resulted in Durham spilling the ball in their own half. Man of the match, Hodgson hacked through twice, diving on the ball to score his second. Scott had an easy conversion to take the score to 14-0.

The last twenty minutes were played with uncontested scrums when Aspatria prop Paul Miller suffered a knee injury.

His replacement, Mike Tinnion lasted only five minutes before he too had to be helped to the touchline.

The game was effectively finished at this point as Durham City’s set piece dominance was neutralised. The game was played out with no further scores being added and Aspatria taking a valuable two points on the road.

The mounting injury list at Aspatria will be causing concern and the coaches will also be worried about the penalty count against the team.

In breakdown situations the team is struggling to come to grips with the new experimental law variations which might cost them dear in closer games.

On a wider scale Carlisle are finding it difficult to come to terms this season with life in North two East.

One point from three outings prior to Saturday’s trip to Morpeth was all they had to show for their efforts.

Last year both games with Morpeth were close contests and there was little difference this time. Although the 23-0 win might suggest dominance by Morpeth that was far from the case.

Carlisle competed well in the opening period and gave as good as they got.

Missing some early penalty chances did not help the cause and, if they had been seized the game could have taken on a different complexion.

Despite a morning of heavy rain prior to kick off, the pitch was in quite good condition and both teams tried to play some open running rugby. Morpeth had the more experienced players, particularly in the backs.

The city side are trying to persevere with developing some young talent blended with experience, and will have to be patient in the meantime.

Carlisle did have a try disallowed, not that there was anything wrong with it, simply that the referee was still on the 22-metre line, clearly unable to keep up the play and see what was actually happening. He chose to award a penalty instead!

Carlisle were 13-0 behind at the break and given their first half performance, hopes were high that their improving game would deliver some points return.

However, early in the second half, they were forced into making changes after some indiscreet use of the boot took its toll.

Liam Nicholls was first to leave the field after a nasty stamp on the back of the head. New boy Ross Olney came off the bench and did enough to suggest that he will be knocking on the door for a wing berth.

Next to succumb to a boot was Bobby Sherlock. Scott Rattray went on as did John Strickland, who relieved veteran prop Martin Burnett.

The disruption to the scrum was too much for Carlisle who then started to lose their earlier dominance in the set pieces.

Morpeth added a converted try and a penalty to complete scoring.

On the evidence of the four games played so far, there is not a lot between the teams.

But, if Carlisle are going to get any return from their endeavours, then there has to be more polish added to their handling game to enable them to retain more possession.