For the first time this season Carlisle will be on a recovery mission tomorrow when they host St Benedict’s.
The Warwick Road side had been unbeaten in Counties 1 Cumbria, generally sweeping away all opposition until last week.
They travelled to West Cumbria and suffered their first league loss, beaten 21-19 by Whitehaven.
It was described by Whitehaven as a gritty win in poor, heavy conditions and regarded as their best performance over the last two seasons.
Having trailed 14-6, Haven went on to score 15 unanswered points to take a 21-14 lead. Carlisle then scored an unconverted try with 10 minutes to go but the home side was able to hold on to take four points for their efforts.
Jordan Scott and Zack Williams scored tries for Haven with Stephen McConnell kicking three penalties and a conversion.
For Carlisle, Vince Lung converted two of their three tries which were scored by Ethan Thomson, Tyler Callaghan and Robbie Purdham.
That defeat, and Hawcoat Park’s gifted five points from Penrith’s cry-off saw the top two change places with the south Cumbrian side leading by just a point.
St Benedict’s, the visitors to Warwick Road, are seven points behind their hosts in fourth and Martin Maughan will be in charge.
Hawcoat Park have a tough encounter in prospect as they travel up the coast to Egremont, narrowly beaten 13-10 at St Benedict’s last week. Mike Firby will referee this one.
Kirkby Lonsdale are in third place, six points behind the leaders, and Alistair Jones will be the man in the middle for their home game against Workington.
The Zebras were celebrating their second win of the season last week, a gripping 15-14 and tovictory over Keswick 2nds at the Ellis.
Because of a crippling injury list Penrith 2nds have had to cry off their last two games but hope to be back tomorrow at home to Windermere with George Tressier officiating.
The other Counties 1 Cumbria games are: Cockermouth v Creighton (Mike Pate); Millom v Ambleside (Cieran Trainor); Keswick 2nds v Whitehaven (Stephen Elliott).
In Regional 2 North there’s a Cumbrian derby in prospect with Upper Eden hosting Aspatria (Johnny Watson referee).
The home side are solid mid-table but Aspatria are still having to look over their shoulders despite last week’s gritty 12-11 win over Sunderland at Bower Park.
The Black Reds are four points better off than Durham City who are at home to bottom side Wigton, still looking for their first win at this level.
Following two narrow defeats, Saturday’s being a last gasp 19-17 home loss to leaders Northern, Keswick have slipped from second in the table to fifth.
But they are still just four points shy of Percy Park in second and tomorrow visit Sunderland who are a point better off in fourth.
Up in Regional 1 North East both the Cumbrian sides are at home with Penrith, in particular, needing to steady the ship.
An horrendous run of injuries, along with other unavailabilities has seen them ship some big scores of late. It has meant them sliding into the bottom half of the table for the first time.
They are currently 7th, a point and a place better off than county rivals Kendal.
Having lost their last four games, conceding over 50 points in their most recent three fixtures, they entertain Blaydon tomorrow with the visitors six points better off.
Kendal, narrowly beaten 22-20 at Harrogate last week, are at home to Driffield, who are five points better off than the Mint Bridge side in sixth place.
There are no games involving the Cumbria Society on Sunday which is disappointing as they had 11 referees available to officiate.
Perhaps not surprising in view of the lack of games over the last month availability of referees is starting to fall due to the lack of regular games and no matches below league level to help new and developing referees.
