Saturday, 28th March 2009
A bit like “after the Lord Mayor’s Show”! This was a game Carlisle were probably expected to win and what’s more they should have won it, albeit that for most of the match, they played with apparent abandon.
Following the finesse of last week when they overcame Aspatria in fine style, Carlisle were far from fluent or efficient in their play for most of the game. It was all the more frustrating because for long periods they had the Driffield defence camped on the line, and should have added at least three more tries that would have given them the league points.
As early as the opening minute, full back Ben Blain took a nasty knock trying to recover a “hospital pass”, the first of several during the game. Driffield obviously took note of this weakness in the Carlisle play because most of their success came from Carlisle frailties rather than their own craft!
However, it was Carlisle who fired the open shots when flanker Matt Charters touched down following a good break by scrum half George Graham. Stand off, Glen Weightman added the conversion points.
Matt Charters - opening try.
On the quarter hour mark Driffield pulled level when open side flanker Tom Wright touched down with centre Clayton Masina converting. Within minutes Weightman regained the initiative for him mates with a penalty but this was short lived when left wing Alistair McLaren edged the visitors in front with a well taken try.
Carlisle - the body language tells a story!
Weightman added two further penalties giving Carlisle a four point advantage at the break and it was obvious at that point that the Warwick Road team would have to work doubly hard in the second period to retain any momentum
Martin McGimpsey replaced Mark Allan at prop.
Camped on the Driffield line in the clsoing stages of the match.
Driffield shocked Carlisle with a try three minutes into the second period and from that point on the Yorkshiremen were always in the lead. The try shocked Carlisle into a determined assault on the guests’ line. Dominating the set scrums, Carlisle forced Driffield back time and again, but rather than keep possession in the pack, their best weapon, they chose flowery passes to the backs, and this was their undoing. A wild pass across the front of the posts was intercepted and McLaren snatched possession and raced the length of the field to score, allowing Masina to increase his personal tally.
Midway through the half, winger Stephane Helies was brought down as he broke up field. He was unable to continue and left the field with a possible broken shoulder.
More action from the Carlisle v Driffield encounter at Warwick Road.
Driffield lost their tight head prop, Paul Dervey, on sixty seven minutes, thanks to a yellow card and left wing Tom Armstrong reduced the arrears with a try out wide. Carlisle scented they were back in with a chance at this point, but within a couple of minutes let Driffield help themselves to another converted try, full back Perkins being allowed the freedom of the field.
In the closing stages though, Carlisle mounted several promising attacks and just into added time scrum half George Graham tried with Weightman converting. At 28 pts to 31 pts there was just an outside chance of stealing the game, but the referee’s watch beat them!
Not a very good day at the office!
The Carlisle XV that started:
15 Ben Blain (Stephane Helies)
14 Tom Armstrong
13 Chris Harris
12 Ross Olney
11 Stephane Helies (Matt Rogers)
10 Glen Weightman
9 George Graham
1 Steve Stamper Captain)
2 Tom Graham|
3 Mark Allan (Martin McGimpsey)
4 Nigel Arismandez
5 Aidan Day
6 Bobby Sherlock
7 Matt Charters
8 Lee Brumpton
16 Martin McGimpsey
17 Gareth Wylie
18 Matt Rogers (Gareth Wylie)
MEN OF THE MATCH
1st Steve Stamper
JOINT RUNNERS UP:
George Graham
Lee Brumpton
