Aspatria lost 43-15 in their Regional 2 North League clash at Percy Park to check their recent rise.
The table has developed into two distinct sets; a top 6 and a bottom 6. Aspatria are currently the best of the lower group and they travelled to Percy Park who occupy last place in the upper class of clubs.
On paper this should have been a close contest but as the action unfolded the reasons for the gap between the two categories of clubs became clear.
Aspatria might not have expected to win at Percy Park but the 43 points conceded in defeat was definitely not anticipated. Aspatria only came alive in the final ten minutes of the game and by this time the result was well beyond them.
Fortunately, for the Black Reds, results elsewhere in the league generally went their way and they remain clear of the relegation zone.
Next Saturday Aspatria are back on the road, this time to Stockton who along with Carlisle occupy the two relegation places. The boys in black and red know they cannot afford to slip up.
The first 15 minutes of this game was regulation stuff with little sign of what was to come from Percy Park, as the contest unfolded.
The sides shared possession and looked evenly matched. Each probed the other but without any real threat emerging. First Park and then Aspatria had possession close to the try line only for self-inflicted errors to spoil opportunities to open the scoring.
Park broke the deadlock when a defensive error by Aspatria gave up field position and then it was just a case of precise handling and quick ball movement from Park to get over the line.
On 20 minutes Park increased the lead to 10-0 with a well struck penalty but play was not going all their way.
A Jack Clegg long range penalty shot got the Black Reds on the scoreboard and on the half hour mark they really should have drawn level.
Hard running back rower Phil Dixon completely outwitted the home defence and his gallop to the line looked certain to deliver a try between the sticks.
Dixon was foiled by an excellent cover defence that stopped him short and denied any opportunity to get the ball away to one of several supporting runners.
That failure to score became a turning point in the game. Park upped their tempo and for the final ten minutes of the first half pressed Aspatria back into the 22. Initially, they could not find a way through but with only a handful of minutes left Aspatria’s resolve failed.
Guy Reed was yellow carded for his part in an on-field fracas and from the resultant penalty scrum Park created space for the home stand-off to dart over.
The first half ended 17-3 in Park’s favour and soon into the second 40 they began to build upon this advantage.
Play was concentrated in the Aspatria half for the opening ten minutes and inevitably a try followed to ease out the home lead to 22-3.
A bonus point try quickly followed and it was one of real quality. Park stopped an Aspatria move around halfway, wrenched the ball from the runner and with great awareness passed the ball through several hands all the way to the try line.
Few bright spots were emerging for Aspatria. One did come as the game approached the final quarter when the Black Red mauled the ball through the home 22 and over the line but the ball carrier was surrounded by Park players who would not let him drop for the score.
Park’s fifth try came on 65 minutes. This had followed a penalty to the corner where a most efficient catch and drive was mounted over the Aspatria line for 36-3.
Into the last 10 minutes and Aspatria did at least have the consolation of finishing on a high.
Their first try followed some notable attacking play involving both backs and forwards. The ball ended in the hands of the impressive Dixon who, this time, would not be denied.
Aspatria tails were up but in committing everyone to the fight they again conceded to the lively Park back division.
This was not the end of the Black Reds who immediately from the restart won the ball back and launched a final attack.
It was great stuff from the visiting forwards as they battered a hole in the home defence for prop Jack Gaskell to score in the corner. This was rounded off by Clegg’s touchline conversion to end the game .
