The 64-7 scoreline reflected what was ultimately a comfortable win for Carlisle at home to Windermere in Counties 1 Cumbria.
However it did little to acknowledge the contribution that the visitors from the South Lakes made as they were a gallant side who never gave up and had some great passages of play themselves.
Carlisle were on the scoreboard after only three minutes as scrum dominance was established on the visitors’ put-in and remained throughout the game.
A clean break through the middle was recycled before Jake Whittaker found space to put Lloyd Clark over wide-out on the left. Jason Israel landed the first of eight conversions.
A second score was quickly added from the restart as Windemere initially infringed at the breakdown and Carlisle moved the ball quickly through strong runs from Alfie Baty and Josh Holmes.
Again the recycling was the key, creating space for full back Lewis Tingey to go over in the opposite corner.
That Carlisle did not score for another 20 minutes was largely down to the tenacity of Windermere, who had probably their best spell of the game.
Combative in defence and imaginative in broken play they had periods of possession in the Carlisle half but could not create any clear opportunities.
The home side continued look more dangerous in possession, particularly when the ball was moved wide, but lack of accuracy meant the ball was spilled just when it looked as if the clean break was there to be taken.
But Windermere too were making errors and allowed Carlisle to re-establish field position. Finally, a five metre scrum enabled the home pack to drive over for Clark’s second score, converted by Israel.
Clark completed his hat-trick four minutes later and two further scores were added before half time as Carlisle began to hit their straps.
Jake Whittaker went in under the posts after great work from Tingey and John Short, and right on half time Tingey completed a sweeping move as the visitors wilted. Both were converted by Israel for a 42-0 half time score.
The second half continued much in the same vein as the first. The home sides forward dominance was pretty much complete although Windermere continue to battle hard and defend stoutly.
The visitors regular infringements meant Carlisle dominated possession. The Lakes side lost one player to a yellow card and it could have been more, but referee Alan Jenkinson resisted the temptation to further disadvantage the visitors.
Carlisle scored a further five tries in the second half. The first came from Nathan Greenhow, who again had solid game in the centre, a second for Whittaker, two from winger Rhys Callaghan, before Tingey completed a fine personal performance with a hat-trick score near the end. Israel converted two of these to complete the Carlisle scoring.
But Windermere had the last word. Carlisle were perhaps guilty of falling off some tackles as in the final moments the visitors earned some possession in the Carlisle 22 and series of home side infringements saw them eventually squeeze over the line for a consolation score that enabled them to travel back down the M6 with something to show for their efforts.
