Carlisle Rugby Club found out what it’s like to take on a team in relegation trouble, a team that has enough about them to fight for every point.

The North One West leaders were far from their best. But in hosts Broughton Park, they took on a side determined to fight clear of the basement, and who deserved their 10-10 draw.

Broughton Park’s performance belied their league position but underlined their defensive capabilities, yet Carlisle should have done better.

In the first half, the ball was seemingly stuck between the two 22s, with neither side able to make much headway into the final third of the park.

Handling errors by both sides contributed to a high scrum count, and while Carlisle just about had the upper hand, with a couple of penalties in the early exchanges, they couldn’t capitalise on the possession they had. 

Broughton competently snuffed out anything that Carlisle could throw at them but couldn’t offer much in attack themselves.

Even the dismissal of a home player for a late tackle didn’t give Carlisle much of an advantage, although winger Ben Purdham will feel aggrieved a try, at first awarded by the referee, was then reversed on the advice of the line judge for a foot in touch.

Broughton Park put Carlisle under a bit of pressure in the final 10 minutes of the half but were unable to break through, and an unsuccessful penalty attempt from 45 metres by the home side ended the half at 0-0.

Carlisle rang the changes at half-time, bringing all their substitutes on, to try to mix things up but it was the home side that drew first blood on 49 minutes.

After a couple of penalties gave Broughton territory 10 metres out from Carlisle’s try-line, a resulting line-out saw the home side patiently go through a number of pick and goes before finally finding a gap to secure a converted try.

Carlisle gradually gained a little momentum and a dart from full-back Max Connon took the ball up inside home territory.

With handling errors again resulting in scrums, Carlisle made best use of them and, from one, the ball was quickly spread right across the line to winger Andy Glendinning who used his bulk to power through two Broughton defenders and over for Carlisle’s try. Grant Connon landed the touchline conversion to level the scores.

Carlisle drew heart from this and put Broughton under the most pressure they’d felt all game, and a penalty for offside by the home side gave Connon the opportunity for three points, which he landed into the wind on 65 minutes.

Broughton put Carlisle under the cosh for much of the rest of the half, and only some resolute defending kept them at bay.

Then, with three minutes to go, Carlisle managed to regain possession and pushed up into Broughton territory. 

With the away supporters inwardly screaming keep possession and wind the clock down, Carlisle committed the cardinal sin of getting isolated, and Broughton regained the momentum.

Pushing back downfield with no time on the clock, another penalty 40 metres out gave Broughton an opportunity to level the scores, which their fly-half did.