It’s been a dismal season for the Carlisle club with the men’s senior side confirmed as being relegated after Saturday’s defeat to Penrith.
They have not won a game in the Regional Two North League so it was seen as a club pick-me-up when the ladies roared to a big win on Sunday.
Playing their first game for a month the Cougars were back in action with a home game against Novos from Newcastle and chalked up a resounding 62-5 victory.
The two sides have met on numerus occasions and the last meeting saw a tight game with Novos winning by two points – but not this time!
The Cougars really enjoyed themselves, always a key to a good performance, as they swept to an impressive win.
There was no rain but the wind proved to be a big factor and the visitors started with it in their favour.
So from the kick-off the Cougars knew it was not going to be an easy and had to dig in as the first ten minutes are usually vital in any game of rugby.
Nine minutes into the contest Carlisle collected their first try through the forwards with Jess Barnes making the touchdown.
Carlisle had new players in the front row, so knew scrums might be difficult as players adapted, but it did not show and the power generated was good.
After 20 minutes Bethan Lloyd added to the lead with a try which was converted by Sarah Smyth who had taken on the role as the main kicker and did a brilliant job.
Two minutes later Smyth got her own try and converted as well to put Carlisle nicely in control – and against the wind.
The kept the momentum going with another two tries from Lloyd and Hannah Musgrave to give the Cougars a 29-0 lead at half time.
They started the second-half well and within two minutes Lloyd had scored again with a try which Smyth converted.
Novos offered a threat after breaking through the Carlisle defence but the Cougars managed to get back in numbers and hold them up on the line.
Having survived that Novos foray the Cougars went down the other end and added two more tries from Musgrave, both converted by Smyth to push the Cougars over the 50-point mark.
However, the Novos showed great spirit to come back and score an unconverted try to spoil the Cougars clean sheet.
But it was the Cougars who finished strongest with a try from Vanessa Hagen before, in the 79th minute, Phillipa Chadwick scored the final try from her speciality pick-and-go. Smyth added the conversion.
The next game will be at Kendal when the Cougars are hoping they will be able to take sizeable support.
The Players of the Match were: Opposition choice: Hannah Musgrave; Back: Vanessa Hagen;
Forward: All of them.
