Carlisle continued their winning start to the season with a 28-5 victory at Whitehaven.
Now operating in Counties 1 Cumbria the city side are intent on returning to Level 6 as quickly as possible.
But it’s been a number of years since a Carlisle side had visited The Playground at this level so there was a degree of uncertainty as to what to expect.
Whitehaven have been a bit of a yo-yo in recent seasons earning promotion from the Cumbria League only to struggle at the higher level. As such, they were expected to provide a firm indication of what we might expect from the better sides at this level and they did not disappoint.
Their challenge was physical and abrasive, making it uncomfortable for Carlisle to establish any real pattern to their play and constantly disrupting.
The visitors had the early pressure and their dominant set piece laid the platform for the success that was to follow.
Home side infringements at the breakdown enabled Carlisle to establish a position in the opposition 22 and from a line-out an impressive catch and drive was touched down by skipper Josh Holmes for the opening score, impressively converted from wide out by Jason Israel.
The following ten minutes were a bit scrappy with mistakes from both sides before a smart break from Max Kirton enabled Carlisle to re-establish themselves in the home 22.
Whitehaven initially held-out, but a second five metre scrum saw Carlisle dominate the set piece and a penalty try was awarded on 23 minutes.
If the visitors expected them to have broken the Whitehaven resistance they were to be disappointed. The home side picked themselves up and established some pressure in the Carlisle half with some hard running and forced the city side to defend which they did admirably.
Carlisle had opportunities to break out and score again, but the final pass or option went astray, and half time came with the visitors maintaining a 14-0 lead.
Whitehaven started the second half better and they forced a turnover to establish themselves in the visitors 22. A series of drives were repelled by Carlisle but at a cost as Nathan Greenhow was yellow carded for repeated offending and James Brocket to injury.
On 53 minutes the home side eventually forced their way over near the corner as new captain Kyle Jenkinson claimed the try to give them hope of a recovery.
At this point Carlisle lifted their game and from the kick-off had their best period of the game putting Whitehaven under pressure and securing turnover ball and camping themselves in the home side’s 22.
Whitehaven defended well but at the cost of a yellow card themselves and Carlisle continued to apply pressure so that when the ball was worked wide Rhys Callahan went over in the corner for Carlisle’s third try, again well converted by Israel.
Whitehaven continued to battle, but Carlisle were now well on top and continued to press.
However, the visitors were unable to make their pressure count as the home defended stoutly and forced errors.
The final 20 minutes were a bit disjointed and an awkward injury to Carlisle’s Matt Marston, who dislocated his elbow in a tackle held up the game for a number of minutes.
On resumption, it looked as if the bonus point score would elude them but Carlisle recovered some composure and a break down the left by Jake Whittaker created the space for Israel to receive and inside pass and secure the extra point. Israel’s conversion completed the scoring.
Marston is now in recovery mode, although he is now in cast following a double dislocation.
