Aspatria took all five points against Stockton in a contest that was all about the end result rather than the performance.
The 38-20 victory in Regional 2 North hoisted Aspatria to the heady heights of seventh in the table.
Both teams started the game badly needing a win and how they went about achieving this was largely immaterial.
The result leaves Stockton in the relegation places and moved Aspatria eight points clear of danger.
It also reinforced belief that the Bower Park side have what it takes to cement a position in the Regional 2 North league.
Aspatria opened the game with a 20-minute spell of near-perfect rugby that Stockton simply could not live with.
Near total dominance of scrums and line-outs helped the home side score three early tries and race into a 19 point lead.
In this strange clash Aspatria followed their opening blitz with a woeful second quarter performance that allowed Stockton to gain a foothold in the game.
The first Aspatria try was scored with only a couple of minutes on the clock. The home side attacked from the outset and centre Ryan Scott caught the Stockton defence napping with a chip kick over their rush defence.
The ball rolled over the line and right winger Gethin Roberts won the race to dot down.
In the early stages only a committed defensive effort by Stockton kept Aspatria at bay but the concentration of attacks made it inevitable that further scores would follow.
The second try was a classic forwards effort. A scrum 16 metres out from the Stockton line was not only taken against the head but then pushed all the way to the line and over for the score.
Minutes later hooker Adam Cavanagh made it 19-0 with a text book score. A penalty to the corner, followed by a successful line-out and a forwards maul to the try line got Cavanagh over.
Why after this incredible start it temporarily went awry for Aspatria remains a mystery. Stockton at this stage were in shock but from somewhere deep they found the required resilience to launch a fight back.
The first Stockton score came from a piece of individual brilliance by scrum half Connor Perry who came into possession around halfway and seemingly trapped against the touchline.
Nimble footwork took Perry through a series of attempted tackles, almost to the line where he unloaded for a team-mate to go under the posts for a converted score.
The try only seemed short term relief for Stockton. The visitors were immediately pinned back in the 22 but Aspatria could not capitalise on some excellent opportunities that came their way.
It almost seemed odd when with 35 minutes gone Stockton used a penalty to close the gap and on the stroke of half-time another penalty was used to end the half at 19-13.
In a game that Aspatria had dominated, to only lead at half time by seven points seemed unreal but there it was.
The break did at least give the home side time to settle down and from very early on in the second period they regained momentum and began to take away any hope that Stockton held.
The bonus point try was registered on 47 minutes. Scott, whose robust style of play unlocked the Stockton defence on several occasions, scored from a short run after good work by the Aspatria forwards drove the ball close to the line.
At 24-13 there was no return for Stockton and the fifth try followed on 55 minutes, a superb solo effort from scrum half, Alex Barton.
A good kick and chase led to a penalty being awarded to Aspatria only ten metres out. Stockton failed to realise that Barton was about to take a quick tap and launch a dart to the line to increase the gap to 31-13.
A few minutes later winger Grant Bethwaite got in on the act. Not for the first time the catalyst was superb scrummaging by the Aspatria forwards who took another ball against the head.
This quickly turned into a movement that flowed up-field where Bethwaite took the final pass to score a converted try.
Into the final quarter and the game lost intensity. Both sides had opportunities to add to their scores but an increasing error count ended too many of the attacks.
With the whistle set to blow a final effort from Stockton’s pack did end successfully, closing the gap but for them it was too little, too late.
