Carlisle RFC Hornets too had a good day out on Saturday 22nd October with a victory over Moresby.

Great that there was at least a game of rugby to be had in the Cumbria Shield League and it was good to see that Moresby are getting a team out again.
 
In arrears at the break by 6 ptd to 5 pts, the Hornets had to fight all they got in the second period again wily opposition from the west!
 

Carlisle Crusaders retained the county vase in  a pulsating encounter with Penrith at Warwick Road on Saturday 7th May 2011.

The match was moved from Wigton at short notice with Carlisle winning the ballot for choice of ground.

Both sides contributed to an entertaining match, Carlisle running out deserved eventual winners.

Carlisle 12 pts Penrith 10 pts

SATURDAY, 19TH September  -  Cumbria Shield League

A big thank you to the Millom lads for making the long journey with fourteen men and providing us with a much needed first game of the season after the disappointment of the previous two weeks.

Carlisle always had a good chance of winning with the strong and experienced side they turned out..  They cope well with a youthful Millom outfit that had a sprinkling of senior chaps in it.

The Hornets back line was quick and exploited the wide openings on numerous occasions, whilst the pack dealt with the foraging Millom forwards that damaged their game plan.

A maul collapsed with a Millom player sufferring from a neck injury and there was a delay whilst he was treated and taken to hospital by ambulance; and we are pleased to report that he has now been released and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Whilst waiting for the ambulance, the “caring” teams moved over to another pitch to continue the game  -  with a pause to allow the ambulance to cross it when it arrived!

Fraser Forlow is grateful for not giving him too hard a time for his performance when he made up their numbers.  He had claimed to be retired, but, heyho, we are likely to be tortured at the back with some of his after match “tall tales” now that he is back (again)!

Scorers for Carlisle:

Tries:

FRanny Dixon
Steven Higgins
Graham Whittacker
Simon Little (2)
Ian Watson
Jay Ritson

Conversions:

Steven Higgins (2)
Simon Little (2)

The Hornets have another free week on the 26th  -  at least from league duty  -  perhaps a friendly may turn up!

Cumbria Shield Cup

Saturday, 11th April 2009

The Hornets were knocked out of the cup by St Benedict’s at Mirehouse, having beaten them twice in the league earlier in the season.  Bennie’s were the better team on the day, albeit that we had a strong team with plenty of speed in the backs.

There were many good individual displays but playing as a team was the last things on minds!

We were guilty of not cl;earing the ball from our own twenty two, hence we were under pressure!

Man of the match was James Rocke wo, at 17, played beyond his years. Richard Percival and Dan Logan had great games too.

St Benedict’s 1st XV were off duty because Creighton could not field a team, hence there was a sprinkling of 1st XV men in the home team!

Half time:        17 pts to 7 pts

Final score:    34 pts to 14 pts

Hornets scorers:

Tries:    Dan Logan and James Armiger |(1 each)

Cons:   James Rocke (2)

Saturday, 4th April 2009

Cumbria Shield League

After a sweeping victory the previous week away at Silloth, the Hornets followed up that success with the demolition of Whitehaven at Warwick Road.

Whitehaven, to their credit, rang before the game and said they only had 10 men but arrived with 14.  A Carlisle Crusader martyred for the West Cumbriam side and they played on in spirited fashion.

Both sides agreed to share the Carlisle replacements, but it was into the second half before ‘haven indulged!

The score points to a one sided game but it was from that.  Both sides played some entertaining rugby.

At half time the Hornets had a 28 point advantage and doubled up for the final score.

Scorers for Carlisle:

Tries:    Franny Dixon (3), Gary Farrer, Kellos, Monkey, Matt Henderson, James Armiger and Ian Watson – 1 apiece.

Cons:    Franny Dixon (1) and Matt Henderson (5).

Saturday, 28th March 2009

Cumbria Shield League

The Hornets, who have not had a lot of rugby of late because the lack of opposition, travelled to the Old Marshalling Yard last Saturday, 28th March.

Silloth only had ten players and the Hornets “handed over” Chris Rudd and Ross Brown to strengthen the Silloth team.  Thanks to them for that noble gesture!

Last season, Silloth were the winners of both the Shield League and the Shield Cup, so it was disappointing for them to be able to field only ten men. Nevertheless, their ability was not underestimated, because the ten men of their own, were probably their best ten.  The game was more like an open game of rugby league with Carlisle on 12 men to the Silloth 12.

Hornets scored a couple of early tries through Steve Robertson and Rob Little. Although never looking likely to be overcome by their hosts, the Carlisle team failed to convert for first half tries, and that kept Silloth in the game at the break with the score at 12 pts to 20 pts.

In the second period, Franny Dixon (with a renewed burst of vigour since recently becoming a daddy) grabbed a quartet of tries, managing to convert one of them. Gary Farrer converted the other three.

Silloth battled hard and scored a couple of converted tries, giving them some reward for their sterling efforts against adversity!

Scorers for Carlisle:

 Tries:        Franny Dixon (4)

                 Gary Farrer (2)

                 Rob Little, Chris Byrne & Steve Robertson

                 (1 apiece)

Cons:       Gary Farrer (3)

                 Franny Dixon (1)

Pens:       Gare Farrer (1)

A great time was had in Dublin playing the teams of  Old Belvedere & Montpellier.

Dublin Tour team

Saturday 21st february 2009

There was a minute silence for Raymond Higgins who died suddenly after our last game against Penrith. Ray would be very proud because Steven his son played and scored a great individual try under what must have been a very emotional game for him.

It was a shame that we did not win but we will improve and i am sure that we will challenge for the shield trophy at the end of the season.

We struggled to cope with the pace of the Whitehaven’s backs in particular their full back, although we did create far more oppotunities and deserved the half time lead. The second half started badly conceding a try within the first two minutes of the kick off. Bad tackling and a lack of match fitness were our biggest problem, it’s understandable for a team that has only played two games since the 16th of December.

This is the third game we have played against Whitehaven and all the games have been well contested open games with both sides scoring around 100 points over the three games.

Full report PDF

Saturday, 13th December 2008

An inauspicious start to the day when, for the first time this season we travelled with a couple of players short.  Domestic demands puts paid to the aspirations of some who were forced into Christmas shopping instead!

Netherhall fielded a strong XV and lent us a couple of lads to make up our team – the weakest of the season.  After twenty minutes it looked like being a long afternoon, as at that stage we were 15 pts to 3 pts in arrears, and given the circumstances that was hardly a surprise.

The response of the lads was positive, especially the Colts who had travelled with us, and Cugi our NZ scrum half on loan from the hosts.  He was probably the man of the match and ensured an ample supply of the ball, enabling us to recover in the second half to take the match by 15 pts to 33 pts.

Netherhall did not cede the game lightly.  The result may look flattering, but for long periods in the second half our backs were to the wall, so credit to the lads who kept the wall in place to ensure no breaches in the second half.

Scorers for Hornets:

Tries:

Franny Dixon (2)

Cugi (1)

Conversions:

Chris Kersop (3)

Penalties:

Chris Kersop (4)

Saturday, 6th December 2008

Whitehaven deserve a great deal of respect for travelling with ten men and our friends from Creighton earn an equal big thank you for sending over five of their lads to make a XV for Whitehaven. 

The Hornets started the game very well with the forwards and backs both managing to stretch the visiting defence and managing a couple of tries early doors.

Our spy (Fraser F) tells us that the Hornets’ game gets better by the week although there are still a view areas of the game to be looked at to make the side a real title prospect!  A big plus was the return to the field of Martin Maughan who has been out of the game for a few years.  He scored three tries and still jumps like a salmon!  So, with a line out that is weak on occasions it was great to see.

Whitehaven deserved the 17 points they got because it could quite easily have turned into a massacre.  Credit where it’s due – they played competitively right up to the final whistle.

Scorers:

Tries:            Gary Farrer (3)

                      Martin Maughan (3)

                      Franny Dixon (1)

                      Richard Percival (1)

Conversions:  Mike Rawling (7)