Hensingham and Askam battled against atrocious conditions to put on an excellent game of rugby league to remember Logan Holgate, the rugby player who died in his sleep three years ago, aged 18, writes Ben Challis.
Losing Logan was a huge shock to Cumbrian rugby league and the wider rugby and sporting community.
He was a hugely popular player who captained Hensingham Under 16s and Under 18s, moved on to play open age rugby, and represented his country with the England Community Lions, winning the European championship with England Under 19s in Italy in 2022 as the triumphant squad’s youngest player.
This memorial game raised funds for the charity set up to remember Logan and his former England coach Gary McMahon, to promote heart screening for young athletes, Logan & Gary’s Lions Heart Fund.
Logan’s younger brother Fletcher started the game playing hooker, with his elder brother, the former Wath Brow and now Whitehaven player Ellison, watching on with friends, family and Whitehaven team mates.
After a fantastic walk out by the teams along with the mascots, the game was started by referee Rob Scott in heavy fog and drizzle on an already soaked pitch.
The teams looked well matched, but the playing conditions were clearly going to be a test, and passing and kicking were a lottery from the start.
Despite pressure from both side the game remained scoreless until the 17th minute when Hensingham interchange Nick Maudling used his strength to drive Hensingham up the pitch, and a quick passing move to the left allowed Dan McGarry to go over by the left corner flag for an unconverted try for a lead of 4-0.
Just five minutes later Hensingham extended that margin when sustained pressure led by Hensingham captain Noel Branthwaite and a powerful charge from Logan McAvoy paid dividends and Miller Dalton dived in towards the sticks and slid in the last two metres to score, converting his own try for 10-0.
It was now Askam’s turn to apply the pressure, and on the half hour Alex Bowman went over for a try with Connor Saunders added the conversion to take the score to 10-6 which was a fair reflection of the game, and that was the score at half time after a very close forty minutes.
The second half began with the fog dissipating as the rain began to hammer down.
The pitch was now slick with mud and players had to watch their footing as they battled up and down the field of play.
It took another 15 minutes before the next score when Hensingham finally made a breakthrough with Corby Rickerby jinking his way past three defenders to slither in and touch down by the left corner flag for an unconverted try and a score line of 14-6.
As the deluge intensified, again Askam responded, and five minutes later Bowman struck again for the visitors with his own and Askam’s second try, again converted by Saunders for a score line of 14-12.
With 15 minutes left on the clock Hensingham began to dominate the game, and Dalton capitalised on an Askam mistake to crash over from five yards out for his second try which was converted by Dylan Bragg.
With an eight point margin, Hensingham were now camped in the Askam half and Luke Charlton was unlucky not to score, blocked just inches short of the Askam try line, and Luke Clements put in two neat successive grubber kicks, but just could quite reach his hand to the bouncing ball from the second before it went dead.
Next up was a Liam Quail attack in the right wing, with Quail diving in, only to be held up by Askam captain Tom Hopkins as Quail tried to twist over to score.
With a minute to go it was the icing on the cake for the home side as big carries from Beau Hyslop and Charlton allowed Hensingham to get within 10 metres of Askam’s line.
Clever play from Branthwaite released the ever busy McAvoy who barged and burrowed his way through a tangle of muddy defenders to somehow stretch out to score an unconverted try and a final score line of 24-12.
A thrilling game and despite the weather, a fitting tribute to Logan, and Hensingham could lift the trophy which carries his name.
