Penrith and Carlisle couldn’t have had more contrasting starts to the season.
Eight wins from nine games, and a win last week over the Regional Two North leaders, has put Penrith second in the table.
Their outstanding 17-13 win at Morpeth put them just two points behind the North East side.
On the flip side of that Carlisle have lost all nine games and are rock bottom with only one point to show for their efforts.
The two sides will meet at Winters Park and on clear form there’s only one winner.
A 42-7 home defeat to Northern on Saturday actually represented a better performance by Carlisle with signs that a corner had been hopefully turned.
But it will take some effort to keep that momentum up with no easy games ahead of Carlisle.
Penrith were superb when they became the first team to lower the colours of Morpeth, and in their own back yard.
Reports from all areas of the League suggested that Morpeth would be unbeatable this season but Penrith hadn’t read the script.
This now sets up Penrith for a nail biting second half of the season as it looks unlikely Morpeth will drop any points before the return fixture, to remain in touch the Cumbrians will have to have a near perfect record themselves to be within striking distance for the rematch at Winters Park.
Aspatria are cock-a-hoop at the moment as two successive victories over Carlisle and Consett and will have high hopes of a treble when they host Durham City. Although the visitors are fourth in the table such has been the confidence gained in recent weeks the Black Reds will be in top order to take them on.
Keswick are a point below Aspatria and a point above the drop zone, and know they face an ultra tough game tomorrow.
They host leaders Morpeth who will be on a recovery mission after their home defeat by Penrith last week.
Keswick, themselves, were bitterly disappointed to go down at South Shields in a very tight game which they feel should have been theirs.
In Regional One North West there are away trips for both Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale.
Kendal, who picked-up a last gasp home win against Manchester last week are at Northwich.
It’s a key game as well are both are on 17 points, third and fourth bottom of the table.
Although with two to be relegated the present incumbents Burnage and Kirkby Lonsdale look to be floundering.
Kirkby Lonsdale haven’t got a single point so far and they travel to Manchester. Burnage are only on six points.
No doubt about the top game in the Counties 1 Cumbria – it’s Upper Eden v Cockermouth, the two teams strongly tipped to be in contention for the title.
Well at the moment there’s no stopping Upper Eden, still 100 per cent and through to the Cumbria Cup final. Last week they travelled to Workington and won 104-6.
Cockermouth have been steady away this season and last week beat St Benedict’s 33-0.
The top club from Counties 1 Cumbria will be promoted next season. In addition the six second-placed clubs with the best playing record (from 18 similar leagues across England) will also be promoted.
At the moment Egremont are one of those six, but this changes on a regular basis. Tomorrow Egremont travel to Silloth. The other games are: Millom v Hawcoat Park; St Benedict’s v Wigton; Whitehaven v Workington.
