The big game in the Holmen Iggesund Cumberland ARL went Cockermouth’s way in a tough game with Maryport.
The home side came out on top 30-24 in an exciting contest
Danny Price (2), Ben Irving, Alex Barton and Dan Woodcock scored the tries for the Highfield side with skipper Regan Tinnion landing five goals. Ethan Cross was their man of the match.
Maryport were always in contention and matched their hosts with five tries from Liam Anderson (2), Craig Foster, Carl Steele and Phil Lister but Blake Miller converted only two. Ellis Nixon took man of the match honours.
At the half-way stage Maryport enjoyed an 18-6 advantage but couldn’t maintain that lead in the second half.
Cockermouth coach Liam McAvoy said: “We made a slow start, which has happened before, but I was proud and happy with how they stuck in after that and ground out a good win.
“Ethan Cross was great for us, doing the jobs that nobody else wants to so and I thought Spencer Fulton was also very good in the way he dealt with their front row.
“We are looking to finish in the top four and when the League splits that will give us games against the five best which we are all looking forward to.”
Mark Foster, the Maryport head coach, said: “It was another close defeat to Cockermouth as we’ve had before after being up 18-6 at half-time playing down the hill.
“Some poor defence in the second half, especially around the ruck near our own line meant we were 28-18 down but credit to the lads for trying to the end.
“We came back into it with a late try to give us some hope of snatching the win before Cockermouth kicked a penalty on the final whistle.
“Unfortunately we lost scrum-half Sam Forrester early on with a fractured cheekbone and has a couple of other knocks.
“It was disappointing again but we need to regroup over the next couple of weeks in training before our next game at the end of July and I’m confident myn players will stick together and work through it.”
There was a good game at Lowca where the home side beat Hensingham A 38-28 after they looked like running away with it at half-time, sitting on a 22-0 lead.
The Lowca tries came from Emerson Allen(2), Mitchell Todd, man of the match Xenden Callender, Mullen Robinson, Jordan Allen and Keith Campbell with the latter kicking five goals.
The Hensingham tries were scored by Jessie Joe Parker (2), Theo Crowe, Olly Dunn and Stephen Hodgson with man of the match Dylan Bragg kicking four goals.
Lee Allen, the Lowca coach said: “It was a good win for us again a mainly young Hensingham side that had ten Under-18’s playing and a few experienced old heads who pushed them round the pitch.
“We had a healthy lead at half-time but Hensingham came back at us strong but we managed to hold on.”
Chris Crow, his Hensingham counterpart said: “The last few games against Lowca they have battered us with some really big scores and Saturday was looking like another at half-time.
“But credit it to the lads they stuck to and worked hard to put in a really good performance with our full-back Fylan Bragg helping create points with his kicking.
“Dylan Cromwell, moving from centre to front row carried hard all game while our seasoned campaigners Jesse Joe Parker and Craig McAvoy kept the young lads focused and helped them play defensively.
“Our hooker Theo Crowe got us going with some great line speed and work round the ruck which was brilliant to watch.
“It was also a huge positive that we used three Under-17’s Corby Rickerby, Brady Clifford and Corey Turner who were all making debuts and played really well.”
In the other week-end game Aspatria were 44-0 winners against Ellenborough A in which they scored tries through Ben Tootill (2), Chris Beattie (2), man of the match Mark Irwin, Luke Johnson, Stuart Creighton and Jordan Moore. Johnson kicked five goals and Irwin added one.
Ellenborough’s man of the match was Josh Pattinson.
Aspatria chairman Mark Ridley said: “Credit to Ellenborough for fulfilling the fixture as they came with just three subs, but during the game never took a backward step.
“Overall their play probably deserved a couple of tries but I am sure our coaching team will be well pleased with the Hornets goal-line defence.”
