For a second successive game Aspatria held the opposition to a nil score line, something quite rare in modern-day rugby union.
This defensive effort played a big part in the 17-0 victory over Acklam and extended the Black Reds winning streak to four games.
Acklam will scratch their heads for reasons why they went away without troubling the score board given the chances available. Aspatria will also be puzzled that the margin of victory was not wider considering the amount of ball possession they enjoyed in the opponents 22.
The game started at a frantic pace mainly generated by the home side. In response Acklam provided a tenacious defence that clinically cut out any early threat.
Against the run of play the first try scoring opportunity came to the visitors in the 11th minute when a slick backs movement put the left winger in space with what seemed to be a clear run to the corner flag only for fine cover defence to snuff out the threat.
This was the start of a productive period for Acklam and on more than one occasion they had the Aspatria defence scrambling to hold out.
On 24 minutes Aspatria had regained some sort of ascendency and from a scrum penalty five metres out walked the visiting pack back to the try line where the scrum disintegrated allowing number eight Stuart Creighton to pick up and barge over the line. Jack Clegg converted.
Aspatria continued to squeeze Acklam into their half but despite the huff and puff could not break down a spirited defence.
The best moment came near the half time whistle when second row Richard Miller, who was the home man of the match, wrestled the ball through several defenders and over the line but could not get the ball on the deck due to some heroic defending.
In the second half Gary Hodgson joined the home pack from the bench and his introduction began to turn the game in Aspatria’s favour.
His short run on 50 minutes ended with Aspatria’s second try. Within the subsequent movement Adam Cavanagh and Grant Bethwaite played their parts to perfection but when the ball ended in the hands of Andrew Miller on the right wing he still had plenty to do to force himself past some last ditch defending and over the line. Clegg rattled the cross bar with the conversion attempt.
Into the final 20 minutes Aspatria looked relatively comfortable. The attacking was fluent even if unproductive, mainly due to the efficient defence mounted by Acklam.
On 66 minutes one of these attacks broke down around the Acklam 22 and home supporters held their breath as the visitors charged upfield ending the move by booting the ball over the try line. The race was on but by inches home fullback Joe Beaty won the contest to diffuse the threat.
A score by Acklam at that point would certainly have rattled Aspatria and set-up a tense finish
Aspatria were grateful for the reprieve and with ten minutes remaining put the result to bed.
A well-controlled five metre scrum provided the platform and pinned the defence on the try line. When the ball was released quick hands recycled it left where Alex Barton waited on the wing to dot down in the corner.
Aspatria were now in a position to chase the try bonus point. Some niggle crept into the game in those final minutes and although Aspatria had good field position they could not get find the calmness which might have delivered a valuable fourth try.
