Results-wise it was the worst day of the season for Cumbria’s teams contesting the National Conference League.
There were defeats for Wath Brow, Egremont Rangers, Kells, Barrow Island and Hensingham, while the only successes were recorded by Seaton Rangers and Millom.
An under-strength Wath Brow side travelled to the bottom side York Acorn and finished on the wrong end of a 26-18 score-line.
The Hornets players must still have been finding their legs after the long coach trip as they conceded two tries in the first five minutes, one of them being converted.
Wath Brow did respond after 10 minutes with a try from Sam Curwen, converted by Cole Walker-Taylor but on 33 minutes Acorn scored a third try which was converted for a 16-6 half-time lead.
The York side had lost their previous four games and they must have been a bit nervous when Jay Wetherill crossed soon after the break. Walker-Taylor’s conversion made it 16-12.
However Acorn managed a fourth try, which went unconverted, before the game appeared to be on a knife-edge. Ellison Holgate crossed for a third Hornets try and Walker-Taylor’s conversion made it a two-point game.
Unfortunately for the Cumbrians the one try left in the game was scored by Acorn seven minutes from time to clinch the points. Acorn had started the day bottom of the Premier Division but that win, coupled to Egremont’s 16-12 home defeat to Pilkington Recs, left the Cumbrians at the foot of the table.
It’s looking increasingly bleak for the Rangers as they are six points off safety and have played a game more than their rivals.
After ten defeats in a row, and having previously won at Pilkington 24-22 earlier in the season, Egremont were hopeful of ending that dismal run.
It had been all square 6-6 at half-time and with eight minutes left Egremont had worked their way into a winning position by leading 12-10. But there was heartbreak for the hosts when the Recs grabbed a converted try to snatch a 16-12 victory.
Jon-Paul Brocklebank and Sam Appleby scored tries for Egremont with Billy Thompson converting both.
In League One Kells lost at home 24-22 to Ince Rose Bridge and surrendered the table leadership to Hull Dockers, although they do have a game in hand.
Incredibly Kells had worked their way into a 22-0 lead after just 24 minutes before conceding five tries, two of them converted to lose the game by a couple of points.
It was a fine start from the Cumbrians as they crossed four times through Harley Nelson, Jordan Burns, James Ennis and Clarke Chambers. Ross Gainford converted three of them.
Callum Hughes, however, was the match winner for the Wigan side as he scored four tries to turn the game on its head.
Barrow Island’s slip in Division Two has been even more spectacular. The former leaders were surprisingly beaten by Hunslet Warriors before collapsing at home against a Dewsbury Celtic side who are much nearer the bottom of the table than the top.
It finished 46-0 against a side they had beaten 31-12 earlier in the season at Dewsbury. Trailing 22-0 they rarely looked like troubling the Celtic defence and are now three points behind Heworth and from having played a game more.
In Division Three Hensingham were slipping to a fifth consecutive defeat when they went down 34-22 at home to Waterhead Warriors.
The Hensingham tries came from Logan Holgate, Nick Maudling, Dan McGarry, Jessie-Joe Parker and Taylor Richardson with one conversion by Noel Branthwaite.
But there were some Cumbrian successes and both Seaton and Millom were smiling after victories in Division Three.
Seaton maintained their top four challenge with a hard-fought 22-16 win at bottom side Eastmoor Dragons.
Although they had led 10-0 at half-time Seaton had to dig deep in the final quarter after the Dragons had worked their way into a 16-10 lead,
Evan Nicholson scored two tries, one of which was converted by Dominic Smallwood, to give Seaton the start thy were looking for.
But they needed a Smallwood try and conversion to bring them back level and five minutes from time JJ Key charged over for the winning try which Smallwood converted.
Millom are creeping up the table after a faltering start to the season and were comfortable 42-0 home winners against Batley Boys.
Niall Harris, Kyle Evans and Jonty Peters scored first-half tries for Millom, all converted by Jack Newbegin.In the second-half there were further tries by Aiden Wilson, Hadley Thompson, Jonathan Hodgson, Jarty Robinson and Harris. Newbegin converted two of them.
