Wigton Colts produced a statement performance and 50-0 victory at Novocastrians.
The result not only avenged last season’s heavy defeat but also firmly established Wigton Colts as a serious force in the competition.
They were powerful, clinical and creative from start to finish. Dominant in both set-piece and open play, they outplayed Novocastrians across the park.
With a stronger squad and renewed focus, Wigton arrived with a point to prove after last season’s heavy defeat.
Novocastrianshave had recent wins over Stockton and Penrith Academy, so were aiming to continue their good form.
They kicked deep into Wigton’s 22 early on, looking to apply pressure and force a turnover. However, Wigton weathered the early storm well, using their forwards to carry hard out of trouble before launching a long clearing kick deep into Novos territory.
The opening exchanges were physical, with both sides battling around the ruck, but it was Wigton’s forwards who began to take control. Leading the charge was Alfie Deans, who set the tone with a series of thunderous tackles.
Ten minutes in, Wigton found themselves inside Novos’ 22. Kyle Lattimer showed immense strength, drawing in three defenders before off-loading superbly to William Butler, who carried strongly for another five metres.
With defenders sucked into each phase, the Novos defensive line began to thin.
Quick ball from the ruck allowed Wigton to move wide. Alfie Deans once again played provider, drawing in the final man and releasing Ellis Holliday out wide to score the opening try.
Holliday then added the extras for a 7-0 lead.
Wigton’s momentum grew, with fly-half Flynn Manihera expertly kicking deep and pinning Novos back in their own territory.
With little room to operate, Novos were forced to kick clear once again, but a poor clearance found Fraser Williamson, who passed inside to the ever-industrious Deans.
A sharp pass later and Holliday was away down the flank, outpacing the cover to score next to the posts. Another conversion followed.
Now playing with flair and confidence, Wigton looked to attack at every opportunity. Marcus Hamilton was immense in open play, breaking the gain line with every carry. Holliday, relentless in support, was again on hand to take an inside ball from Hamilton and crash over for his hat-trick try. The conversion narrowly missed, but Wigton were flying at 19-0.
Just before the break, Wigton struck again. After patient build-up work from the forwards, Manihera spotted a gap, shaped to pass and went himself, slicing through to score under the posts. With the conversion added, Wigton went into the half-time break with a dominant 24-0 lead. Novocastrians looked stunned and frustrated, staring down a heavy second-half challenge.
Wigton made a couple of changes at the break, bringing on Alfie Warwick and Archie Irving to bolster a side that had picked up a few knocks. Any concerns of momentum being lost were quickly put to rest.
From the kick-off, Wigton were aggressive, looking to reassert dominance. Deans led from the front in defence, supported by the energetic Ernest Bordenave. Once again, Novos were forced to kick under pressure, but this only played into Wigton’s hands.
After a couple of quick rucks on halfway, Manihera and Warwick combined to find space on the outside, releasing Archie Irving who dived over in the corner for an unconverted try.
Things went from bad to worse for Novos as the re-start failed to go 10 metres. From the resulting scrum on halfway, Deans picked up from the base and went blind, drawing the defender before offloading to Jayden Johnson. He quickly shifted it on to Warwick, still 45 metres out, and he raced down the wing and stepped inside the fullback to score a stunning solo try under the posts.
Novos chased the next restart with intensity, but Hamilton responded in kind, powering through two defenders, brushing off a third and drawing in the fullback before giving a perfectly timed pass to Holliday who finished the move with ease from 30 metres out, capping off a magnificent personal performance. With the conversion added, Wigton extended the lead to 43–0.
With around 15 minutes gone in the second half, the result was beyond doubt. To their credit, Novocastrians kept battling and managed to hold out further scoring for a brief period, but Wigton’s ruthlessness soon returned.
The ever-dangerous Warwick broke the line again from halfway, dancing past defenders as if they were standing still. Drawing in the last man, he passed to Manihera, who raced in from 20 metres to score Wigton’s final try of the afternoon and the conversion brought up the half century.
Special mentions go to Holliday for his four-try haul, Deans for his relentless physicality and work rate, and Manihera for controlling the game brilliantly.
