Rugby Union

Published at 11:08, Thursday, 15 March 2012

WORKINGTON were deserving 31-14 winners in the West Cumbrian derby at Egremont in North Lancs Cumbria.

The Zebras are now safe but Egremont have to keep looking over their shoulders at De La Salle who are 11 points behind with a game in hand, but who beat Eccles 17-7 at the weekend.

The Zebras began by controlling the ball and putting the home defence under pressure with Michael Fearon converting the first penalty in the third minute when the defence was caught offside.

Five minutes later the ball was moved wide and Fearon found enough room to put Simon Beare through a gap and the Kiwi scored the first try which Fearon converted.

The home side lost winger Robert Hail to a shoulder injury, but the reshuffled side with Mark Graham going into the centre from back row certainly strengthen the home defence.

It was Graham as well who was the focus of their revival, with some strong drives into the heart of the Zebras defence.

The Zebras however kept plugging away and Fearon converted penalties in the 15th and 26th minute to extend their lead to 0-16.

Egremont were reeling and it took some time before they threatened the Workington try-line when their forwards caught line-out ball and went close to scoring after driving a maul.

The Egremont forwards were beginning to come more into the game and after driving line-out possession they released the ball to the backs and stand-off Marc Long fed a short pass to centre Michael Burrow who broke through and side-stepped his way over for a try which Long then converted.

Almost immediately Egremont failed to find touch with a penalty kick and Zebras full back Kevin Harper made ground before releasing the rest of the back line and Robert Scott finished off a fine move to score from the 22-metre line.

Egremont started the second-half in a more determined fashion and after moving the ball along their three-quarter line a kick ahead by Graham Temple took play into the Workington 22. Unfortunately for the visitors they continued to make mistakes and couldn’t capitalise.

They failed to find touch with another penalty kick and shortly afterwards they had a man sin-binned for infringing at a ruck.

Workington immediately took advantage by putting the penalty into touch close to the Egremont try-line where they won the line-out ball and David Bowe led a drive to the line where scrum-half Andrew Branthwaite touched down for a try in the corner.

The Egremont forwards came more into the game with some determined surges led by Martin Grealish, Mark Cottam and Nigel Douglas until after pressing for ten minutes they finally drove over the line. John Musgrave touched down for a well deserved try which Long converted to put Egremont back in with a chance of a bonus point.

But it was Workington who got the bonus point when Egremont were again reduced to 14 men through a sin-binning.

The Zebras finished the game on top and earned the fourth try bonus point from the last play of the game.

Young reserve hooker Callum McKay received the ball five metres out and instead of passing dummied the two defenders in front of him and went through to score his try.

St Benedict’s had some bad luck in their 18-3 defeat at league leaders Kirkby Lonsdale.

They led 3-0 until the eighth minute of stoppage time in the first-half and had gone close to adding to their lead on several occasions.

Stand-off Jamie Doran slipped Gavin Maudling into space and his kick to the corner saw winger Russell Burns arrive a fraction too late to make the touchdown.

Then Kurt Maudling had a one-to-one against the last defender but was pulled down a yard short.

But Benny’s felt hard done to when Kurt Maudling put Daniel Appleton clear and he was racing through to score when brought back for a dubious forward pass.

Kristian Wood had put Benny’s ahead on 10 minutes with a penalty and the home equaliser didn’t come until deep into stoppage time before the break.

It didn’t help the cause when Lee Wood had to retire through injury and there was more woe for the West Cumbrians on 55 minutes when Kirkby Lonsdale scored their first try.

Gordon Maudling broke his hand in a tackle and was being attended to as play moved on, so effectively down to 14 men Benny’s were disappointed to concede the try which went unconverted.

Kirkby Lonsdale added a penalty but then Benny’s suffered more forward pass agony. This time Kristian Wood was brought back after being slipped into the clear by Jamie Jardine.

From the last play of the game Kirkby Lonsdale scored their second try, which they converted.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk