In the immediate aftermath of a 31-24 defeat at Medicals there was a palpable sense of disappointment among the Aspatria team.
They felt with some justification they deserved more from the contest and the defeat makes a dent in Aspatria’s ambition to achieve a top four finish but the race is not yet over and that goal remains achievable.
Realistically, Aspatria are now within a group of four teams who all still have a chance of displacing Stockton, the current fourth-placed side. This contest is destined to go down to the wire.
Make no mistake, Medicals are a good side and played some exceptional rugby to clinch victory. Indeed the five-point win has reignited their ambitions to challenge for the top four.
Aspatria will argue that the sending-off of team captain Matthew Atkinson minutes before the half-time whistle was a pivotal moment in the game which, in such a closely fought contest, deprived them of significant fire power.
The remaining 14 players did remarkably well to remain in the battle with only a last-minute try depriving them of what would have been a well-earned draw.
Old school forwards watching the game would be baffled why in the first few minutes of the game Aspatria’s dominant pack did not earn penalties in two early scrums as their opponents disintegrated.
With only five minutes played a third Medicals scrum close to the Aspatria line did manage to scramble the ball away to the back division. These players were sharp and street wise, fully able to stretch the Aspatria defence and open the scoring with a well worked try.
Via the forwards they played the next ten minutes in the home 22. With 16 minutes gone a superb effort from back row Jamie Lightfoot finally achieved the break-through. Lightfoot took possession around 30 yards out and charged towards the line fending off tackles as he went. Centre Joe Beaty was on his shoulder to take over and dot down to level the scores.
Five minutes later Aspatria grabbed the lead. A number of penalties helped them set up an attacking line-out five yards out.
It was perfectly executed but number eight Atkinson still had work to do to get his body close to the line, reach out and dot down for a 14-7 lead.
Losing the lead seemed to inspire Medicals and it was their turn to dominate territory. The pace of their three-quarter line troubled Aspatria throughout the game and it was good work from them that achieved field position close to the visitor’s line.
The home forwards took over but Aspatria defended their pick and go tactics to the point that they lost patience and returned the ball to the backline who quickly found a way through to level the scores at 14-14.
A penalty followed a few minutes later and Medicals had the upper hand by three points.
Then came the sending off. Prior to this Aspatria had felt some debatable tackles inflicted on them had gone unpunished. So there was existing frustration prior to hooker Adam Cavanagh being picked up and dumped on his head.
It is fair to say Atkinson’s immediate response was to take the matter up with the offender instead of letting the referee judge the matter. The offender was yellow-carded but Atkinson received red for what really was no more than a bit of pushing.
Aspatria commenced the second half with an extended period of pressure but Medicals defence was efficient and appeared to have snuffed out any threat.
A long clearance kick seemed to have ended Aspatria hopes of a score but the ball found its way to Beaty who now had space to get into stride and run a wide arc around and through the defence to hand Aspatria a 21-17 lead.
The score brought Medicals back to life and Aspatria had to defend desperately to see off two attacks that looked more likely to bring scores.
It was clear that Aspatria were missing Atkinson for both his leadership and attacking prowess as the threat from Medicals began to take the game to Aspatria.
The crucial score for Medicals came on 66 minutes when a promising counter attack by Aspatria broke down deep in the home half. The pace at which Medicals seized on the opportunity to take possession and move the ball upfield to grab back the lead was exceptional.
Aspatria’s race seemed almost run but to their credit they stuck at the job and with only five minutes remaining gained a penalty. They took the pragmatic decision and Jack Clegg stroked it over to once more level the scores at 24 apiece.
The heartbreak came with more or less the final attack of the day and it was Medicals, again courtesy of their three-quarter line that were able to take advantage and end the game with a fourth try and a full five points.
