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There’s a full programme of games in the Holmen Iggesund Cumberland ARL this weekend with two of them scheduled for tonight.
However, there’s a special game among the three taking place tomorrow – Aspatria Hornets v Flimby Vikings.
The Hornets are set to play their first ‘home’ game of the season in their 12th match as they are finally set to play at Beacon Hill.
Chairman Mark Ridley said: “Due to the adverse weather at the start of the season we have previously played our home fixtures at Silloth rugby union club.
“I would like to place on record a big thank-you to the Silloth committee for the use of their facilities and to our players and spectators for their commitment whilst we have had to travel.
“Despite the near monsoon conditions we’ve experienced in mid-week we are hopeful of the game going ahead.
“It’s going to be a tough game because we drew with Flimby in a pre-season friendly and just came away with a win against them in the Amateur Cup.
“We have Keenan Foster returning to full-back while Francis Dixon comes back in at centre and Billy Stafford joins the halves. We are also pleased to welcome back Bobby Bnson, a former player who has been with Glasson for the last two years. He will augment the team as he can play in the backs and the forwards.”
Flimby’s Ricky Morrison said: “We have played Aspatria twice so far and have had a great encounter each time.
“Unfortunately we have 16 lads away this week due to it being a Bank Holiday week-end so there are a lot of changes but wee still have 18 available.
“We have a very young side and among them Cody Petrie will be making his debut.”
Also playing tomorrow are Kells A who host Askam and Maryport who have a home game against Lowca.
Kells A coach Jonathan Wignall said: “We look forward to welcoming an improving Askam side and it’s great to have them with us in an expanding League. Credit to them for improving week on week.
“We are extremely fortunate to have an expanded squad for the fixture due to players returning to fitness, back from holidays and free of work commitments. It’s left us with some difficult decisions in relation to team selection.
“Due to the break in our first team’s fixtures we had, among others, England international Dominic Wear wish to play to keep up their fitness levels or just to help out.
“But we have politely declined and appreciate the boys making themselves available.
“Again we have a number of youngsters in the squad and have been boosted by the re-signing of Tyrone Dalton whose experience and talents will be invaluable for the rest of the season.”
Askam are the opposite as far as team selection is concerned with injuries and holidays affecting their squad.
Player coach Chris Broadley took a knock on the knee against Flimby last week and will be making a late decision on himself, as well as on Brad Kavanagh who also picked-up an injury in that game.
Two more serious injuries from Saturday to Kieran Norman (knee) and Zak Wright (shoulder_ are more serious and could be season-ending.
“That’s a b;low because both lads had been going really well. We weren’t at our best last week but did enough in the end to earn a point.
“We know Kells have a young but talented side and we are looking forward to the challenge even though we have some good lads missing,” said Broadley.
The other game tomorrow is probably the pick of the week-end fixtures – Maryport v Lowca.
Both have started the season well and despite recent defeats are likely to be up there in the top four at the end of the season.
After a winning run in the League was ended in the Amateur Cup last week, Maryport will be extra keen to pick-up the thread tomorrow as they were the holders of the trophy.
Coach Mark Foster said: “Lowca are a good club, doing the right thing with a number of youth sides and building the right way.
“They have a good senior side, well coached by Lee Allen. We know that they will come at us hard and fast and we have to match that as we try and bounce back from the disappointment of losing our hold on the Amateur Cup.
“We have players missing because of the Bank Holiday week-end, and we have injuries but we will still be able to put out a competitive side.”
Lee Allen, the Lowca coach said: “It’s going to be another tough battle between two good teams. We have had two hard games with Wath Brow and Kells A and now Maryport, who have been playing really well.
“As far as we’re concerned we need to improve defensively on what we’ve shown in the last two games.”
The week-end kicks-off tonight with two games – Egremont Rangers v Cockermouth Titans and Distington A v Hensingham A.
Kevin Brown, the Egremont coach said: “We beat Distington by a couple of points in our last game and we will just be looking to improve on certain areas we highlighted from that.
“It’s all about developing young players in an A team and they are coming on great, looking forward to the next test which is Cockermouth. They are a well drilled side and we have had some good, hard games against them in the past.”
Ahead of the visit of Hensingham A, head coach Grant Dryden said: “We know that they will bring a young group of players with lots of energy and passion.
“Against Egremont A in our last game we had three debutants and I thought the whole team did themselves proud. Against Hensingham I think it’s going to be tight and we will need to be on the top of our game.
“We have had a resurgence in training, gaining more players which is good for the club and the development of young players which can only be a positive for Distington going forward.
“One to watch is Callum Fox, a 17-year-old lad who never takes a backward step, taking on any challenges that comes his way.
“He has been promoted to the first team on a few occasions which has been full deserved on his performances at training and in games.
“Against Hensingham I think it’s going to be tight and pone in which we are going to have to be on the top of our game.”
Hensingham coach Chris Crowe said: “Our Under-18’s side are playing at Oulton on Sunday in a National Cup semi-final and we did not want them playing Friday and Sunday.
“It’s a huge opportunity to so something special and get to a National Cup final.
“However, due to a lack of numbers three of the Under-18’s squad will have to play and luckily for us there is no National Conference game so we have lads coming in to help us get a team together.
“It should be a really good game as Distington have been getting some good results, involved in some tight games so we are expecting something similar tonight.”