Six Cumbrian players were on international duty for the England Community Lions Under-20s when they beat their Scotland counterparts 48-22 at Twist Lane, Leigh.
Two of them – James Ennis (Kells) and Jack Stephenson (Dalton) – scored tries for an England side which only led 16-10 at the break but were able to pull away against a relatively inexperienced Scotland side.
The other Cumbrians Included in the squad were Elliott Stockdale (Dalton), Aaron Turnbull (Hensingham), Jack Kellett (Hensingham) and Will Ennis (Kells).
Although Scotland included several players fairly new to rugby league they made a sensational start and inside 12 minutes had scored two tries to lead 10-0.
A clearance kick from James Ennis was charged down and Mason Cullen duly touched down for Max Anderson-Moore to convert. Then when Stockdale was robbed in possession, Warren Paladino drove over for the second Scots’ try.
The arrival on the field of Jonny Openshaw seemed to galvanise the Lions and they had moved ahead by the break.
After good work by Turnbull, it was James Ennis who went in for the first try, rounding off a smart link-up between Openshaw and Matthew Ellis.
Openshaw then proceeded to score a try himself and then created tries for Charlie McCurrie and Frankie Gibson.
When play resumed after the interval it was business as usual for Openshaw as he created another try for McCurrie.
Then it was Bailey O’Connor who got over and Openshaw kicked the Lions’ first goal of the game.
Although Scotland briefly hit back with a try and conversion from Anderson-Moore, the Lions quickly regained control with tries from Openshaw and McCurrie, both converted by Openshaw.
Connor Terrill scored Scotland’s fourth try, which Anderson-Moore converted but the Lions had the final word when McCurrie charged over for his fourth try.
