Aspatria could not have wished for a better outcome in their opening clash of the 2021-22 season.
Their eight-try haul in a 54-19 victory over Sunderland not only delivered an impressive win but also a try bonus point.
Sunderland played a full part in this entertaining encounter and at times in the first half gave Aspatria ample concerns regarding the end result.
It took a fierce Aspatria onslaught early in the second half to put the outcome beyond doubt.
Aspatria’s team selection for the game looked like a nod to a previous decade. Coach Scott was forced to deal with a number of pre-game injury and unavailability concerns.
He answered the problem well, bringing in a shed load of experience in the form of backs, Tom Gardner, Lee Askew and Heinie Jonker plus adding Mark Beverley to the second row.
Excepting Gardner who suffered an early hamstring injury it was a happy return for the old guard who threw-off the years to play vital roles.
The Black Reds registered the first try of the campaign with only 85 seconds played. Sunderland kicked off into waiting Aspatria arms, the ball was transferred to No8 Matthew Atkinson on the right flank who gained vital territory.
Impressive inter-play between backs and forwards followed before prop Jack Gaskell crashed over. Jack Clegg converted the first of seven from eight attempts.
Each time in possession the Aspatria centre partnership of Jonker and Askew tested the resolve of Sunderland’s defence and it was entirely with the run of play that Aspatria extended their lead after 10 minutes.
Scrum half Clegg took a quick tap penalty around the 22 and darted towards the line with fullback Andrew Miller on his shoulder. The pass to Miller was perfect, leaving him to dot down.
To this point Sunderland were looking decidedly off the pace Aspatria had set but this was about to change. Around the 15 minute mark Sunderland delivered their first sustained attacking move. Aspatria’s defence was opened up with a fluent movement and the visitors were back in the game at 14-7.
Throughout the game both teams struggled to control restarts and handing possession back to their opponents was a growing concern for both sets of coaches. Sunderland were the guilty party on this occasion, for having just got back in contention the ball was immediately turned over to Aspatria. Stand-off Josh Watson sprinted a full 30 yards untouched and Jonker in support finished the move under the posts.
In generous mood, at the restart, Aspatria returned the favour and Sunderland took full advantage of this lapse of concentration to engineer a score and again come within touching distance of the Black Reds at 21-14.
After only 23 minutes the sixth try of the day was scored. The score went to Aspatria and again poor control at the restart by Sunderland was the catalyst.
A recycled ball was moved by Aspatria to the right wing where Miller found himself alone with 20 yards to travel and score at the corner flag to earn the bonus point.
The final few minutes of the first half were frantic as Beverley was yellow carded for an offence at a Sunderland line-out.
Sunderland attacked but solid defence from Aspatria with their backs to line prevented an immediate score. Aspatria should have cleared their line but decided to continue in the spirit of the game and run the ball. This proved disastrous as possession was stripped from them presenting Sunderland with a third try.
From the re-start Aspatria’ssecond row Phil Dixon got hands on the ball and charged down field on the left. Winger Alex Barton shadowed the run and took the ball around the last defender to dot down under the sticks to establish a 33-19 half-time advantage.
The first half produced a total of eight tries but the excitement could not last.
The second half provided a much familiar style of rugby resulting from a marked improvement in ball control.
Within eight minutes of the restart Josh Watson produced a pair of decisive sprints that took the end result out of Sunderland hands.
The first of these was only 45 seconds after the kick off after Sunderland lost the ball at the restart.
Watson came onto the ball and from his own half simply sliced through the Sunderland defensive line to score under the posts.
Watson didn’t score Aspatria’s seventh try but his initial run caused chaos in the Sunderland ranks. Miller joined the move and at the line he put Gaskell in for his second of the day.
Following the score, not unsurprisingly, the tempo of the game dropped. In general play it became Aspatria attack against Sunderland defence.
Full credit to Sunderland, they stuck to the task and held Aspatria at bay, enjoying only brief periods of possession, none of which came to anything.
The final score of the game came with four minutes left on the clock. Under the new laws Sunderland halted an attack in their dead ball area and had to drop out. It was a poor attempt and Matthew Atkinson had the task of taking the ball and bullocking over the line.
In the final minutes Aspatria back row Chris Graham was yellow carded for slowing a late Sunderland attacking move.
The visitors used the opportunity to generate a solid attack as they chased a fourth try which would have delivered a deserved bonus point.
Aspatria were not in a generous mood and defeated this late effort to end the clear winners.
