Three of the weekend amateur rugby league games have been postponed because of hard grounds with today’s forecast rain coming too late.
The main casualty was in the National League Premier Division where Heworth have notified their pitch is unsafe for the game to go ahead.
Meanwhile, in Cumbria, last night‘s Men’s League clash between Glasson Rangers and Hensingham A was called off because of pitch concerns.
That was also the case across Maryport where Ellenborough’s home clash with Hensingham in the Cumbria Conference was also postponed because the pitch was considered too hard.
Also called off in Cumbria Conference was the game between Barrow Island and Ulverston with the visitors unable to find sufficient players.
Ulverston, who wanted to stay in the North West Counties, have had to do it tough this season and last week finished the game at Maryport with 11 players after travelling north with the bare 13.
Coach Marc Storey has been talking to Cumbria Crack’s John Walsh about the struggles his team have had, and their hopes for the future, which revolve around a thriving youth set-up. You can listen below:
That leaves just three games in Cumbria Conference and in one of them, Hindpool Tigers will be travelling to Distington with just 15 players.
Hindpool, like Ulverston, wanted to remain in the North West Counties set-up and it’s been a season of struggle.
The other two games in the Division should be competitive with leaders Dalton keen to make up for last week’s first loss to Hensingham, when they host Maryport and Seaton Rangers meet up with visitors Millom.
Dalton coach Paul Armstrong said: “I’m hopeful of a good response after last week’s defeat while we have a double header as the A team are also at home to Maryport A and they go into it on the back of a good display against Egremont A.”
A number of players are returning after missing the Hensingham game – Ross Bird, Isaac Maclean, Ben Atkinson, Isaac Barber, Tom Sharpe, Ioan Hayes and Rio York. But Dan Knott, Connor Grant, Neil Maudsley and Floyd Tweddle miss out.
For the A team Rhys McKenna is expected to make his first start of the season in a generally young side alongside Elliot Wilkinson who made an excellent cameo on debut for the first team last week.
In the Men’s League Premier Division today are Cockermouth v Roose, Lowca v Askam and Wath Brow A v Kells A. .
