Askam have been welcomed with open arms into the Holmen Iggesund Cumberland ARL – although they are finding it tough going at the start.
After losing at home to Glasson Rangers in their first game, they followed up at Wath Brow A yesterday and crashed 58-0.
Coach Chris Broadley, however, is not disheartened by results and is looking at gradual improvement during their first season in the West Cumbrian competition.
He told Cumbria Crack: “Our open age side folded after last season in the local Barrow League. We had been unable to put out teams in a couple of games and then the League decided to play mid-week, and 11-a-side for this year.
“Well Wednersday nights were no good for us so to try and revive the open age side we applied to join the Cumberland League and everyone has been very welcoming.
“Actually we have a number of lads who work at Sellafield who know quite a few players from the likes of Kells, Wath Brow and Egremont so it’s like renewing old friendships in a way.
“I have about 24 signed on at the moment but that will increase when the football season finishes. Also, we have a couple of 17-year-olds back with us who went to join other teams in the Barrow League last season.
“It’s going to be a learning curve for us this season and I told the lads after the Wath Brow game that they are likely to be one of the best teams in the League and that’s the standard we have to aim for.”
They hadn’t done too bad in the first-half, trailing 18-0 at the break but the Brow pulled away in the second-half with 40 more unanswered points.
Luke Spivey, Matt Sibbald and Jamie Devine each scored twice and there were further touchdowns for Jack Meagan, Luke Davison, man of the match Devan Sharp, Nat Dougan and Greg Rooney.
Sibbald converted six and Peter Caddy added one other while Dale Lambton was man of the match for Askam.
Paul Farrell, the Wath Brow coach said: “I’d just like to compliment Askam. They never gave up, stuck at it to the end. Chris is doing a great job as coach and if they stick at it they will get results in this League.
“As for ourselves it was the first match so good to get game time into them and although there are obviously some things to work on there were positives as well.
“We were against the wind in the first-half and got our tries off completed sets while second-half we used the wind well with Devan Sharp taking us around the park.”
If Wath Brow A are expected to be in the thick of the title race this season, so too are Maryport who had an equally comfortable 52-0 win against Egremont A with 22 of the points coming in the first half.
Maryport took the lead after only four minutes with a try from Jack Shepherd and that was doubled after 19 minutes with a touchdown from Chris KIvision.
On the half-hour Liam Anderson got over and Blake Miller landed the first of his four conversions.
Miller was next to cross two minutes later and right on half-time Danny Dryden scored the fifth try for the 22-0 half-time advantage.
Miller was on target with his next three kicks, converting tries from Shane Williams (45), man of the match Ellis Nixon (63) and one by himself (69).
In the last six minutes Scott Atherton and Sam Forrester scored further Maryport tries, both converted by Craig Foster.
James Newton picked-up the man of the match award for Egremont A.
Maryport coach Mark Foster said: “I was pleased with the performance and the result against a tough, young Egremont side. It was a step-up from our two previous matches.
“But we know we will have to step up again for our next game against Wath Brow A in the quarter finals of the Amateur Cup. Obviously it’s a replay of last season’s final which we won and I will be looking for a good week’s training ahead of it.”
His opposite number Kevin Brown added: “The best team won and I’m sure Maryport will be up there challenging at the end of the season.
“As for ourselves we made a poor start and really Maryport dominated throughout. But we stuck at it and we are already looking forward to the next match against Flimby, there are plenty of game to come this season and improve as we go along.”
The other game scheduled yesterday, a Cumberland Cup-tie between Distington A and Glasson Rangers wasn’t played.
It has been awarded to Distington A with a 24-0 scoreline as Glasson were unable to raise a side.
With one of the smallest squads in the competition Glasson had two concussions from last week, other injuries and several unavailable through work or holidays.
