Saturday, 10th October 2009 - North 1 East League
CARLISLE 14 PTS DURHAM CITY 34 PTS
Given the strength of the North 1 East League, winning home matches is a an absolute “must”. A return from two of the four outings on home turf is could hardly be described as healthy. It’s not that skill isn’t there, it’s more a case of trying to get the lads to gel.
After the drubbing at Driffield last week, confidence was bound to be an issue but is was not helped by the absence of several players who chose to travel to Budapest to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of a team mate. Well, we know it’s an amateur game and people can’t be forced into playing, but what would their forebears have thought? Arranging a stag weekend to coincide with a vital league game would not have been countenanced!
Durham dominated line outs
Preparations for the Durham game were further hampered by the late withdrawal of Martin Grealish who sufferred a leg injury in training.
The visitors gave early notice on the radar that they had not arrived at Warwick Road just for the day out. They took the game to their hosts from the off and within the opening fifteen minutes had notched up a couple of tries, the second converted, to put Carlisle on the back foot.
Scrum lost!
The city side were jolted into action and had a positive attacking spell and at the midway point in the half full back Chris Harris managed to touch down for fly half and acting skipper, Glen Weightman, to convert. The spell of dominance was shortlived though, with the home pack uncharacteristically allowing the opposing pack to dictate the game.
For the last ten minutes of the half Carlisle were reduced to fourteen men when locka Aidan Day bwas sin binned for a
Full back Chris Harris - first half try.
technical offence, during which time Durham added two further tries, one converted, and taking them into the break with a comfortable lead at 7 pts to 24 pts.
Within five minutes of the restart, Durham had increased their hold on the fixture with another seven points. Apart from a late penalty, that was to be their lot though, as Carlisle tried hard to salvage something from the game, although their effort was thwarted somewhat when prop Mark Allan was binned.
Flanker Matt Davis touched down with a couple of minutes to go, Weightman converting to give the outcome a little more respectability.
Flanker Matt Davis - a late try.
Carlisle are going to have to get to grips and add a bit of steel to their act. It is still early days and there is little doubt that there are players available who, on their day, can make a solid contribution to the cause - the art will be to get the majority to perform in the team environment.
Glen Weightman, acting skipper and man of the match.
Scorers for Carlisle;
Tries:
Chris Harris (1)
Matt Davis (1)
Conversions:
Glen Weightman (2)
Star man: Glen Weightman
Starting XV
15 Chris Harris
14 Dan Holmes
13 Ross Olney
12 George Graham
11 Barry Eral
10 Glen Weightman
9 Ben Blain
1 Martin McGimpsey
2 Tom Graham
3 Mark Allan
4 Aidan Day
5 Dan Smithson
6 Gary Graham
7 Matt Davis
8 Adam Morrison
16 Joe Anderson
17 Jack Oddie
18 Max Connon
