8 April 2017
Billingham (Home)
The final home game of the season (we ended the season at Hull a week later) but more importantly the final League game at the old Mint Bridge (we came back for one warm up game at the start the next season), but unlike a season earlier, not the result we wanted.

For a second year the club had ideal weather for a big final game of the season, to attract a large crowd.

Duncan Green and Chris Downham were back from injury, but Chris Park was out, so the back division was re-organised, with Mark Carruthers slotting in at fullback.

Billingham had the better of the opening exchanges, and as in the away game before Christmas, indicated their intent to move the ball quickly at every opportunity. They opened the scoring after five minutes when we were caught offside at a ruck, and their scrum half slotted home a penalty. 0v3

Billingham won the kick off ball back and immediately put us under pressure again, but our defence proved equal to everything Billingham threw at it. When we had the ball, the Billingham defence made sure we could not make any ground upfield, to relieve the pressure.

Billingham finally added to their score after twenty five minutes. From a penalty, they chose to take a scrum, having had the better of the encounters there. Their burley No.8 picked up and powered through some tackles to score, the scrum half again converted.

We were playing towards the clubhouse, and the big crowd on the “Bank” had had to watch the game at a distance, but shortly after the Billingham score, they were (almost) to get what they had come for.

Glen Weightman put a long penalty kick to touch near the line. Ben Leacock gathered the throw and the forwards drove to the line, and the “Bank” roar went up. Billingham were however able to hold the drive up. The referee decided illegally, and Kendal were awarded a penalty. James Gough took it quickly only to be immediately tackled by a Billingham player, which earned him ten minutes on the sidelines.

Kendal took a scrum, but when the ball was moved left, it was stopped when a Billingham hand got to the ball. The referee decided it was a deliberate knock on, and awarded us a penalty, and the perpetrator seemed fortunate not to have joined his colleague on the touchlines.

This time the ball was put to touch, and when the lineout was won, the ball was moved wide, with Chris Downham making a powerful run through the defence, but he was stopped before the line, and although the ball was re-cycled, it was knocked on, and the chance was gone.

A couple of penalties meant, when restored to fifteen men, it was Billingham again on the attack out line, and our defence again did well to hold out, until half time.

The slender 0v10 half time lead seemed poor reward for the Billingham’s dominance, and we were still in the game, but Billingham again started the half well.

After five minutes, we were penalised for a high tackle, and the ball was moved quickly for the Billingham centre to go over for an unconverted try, and it was beginning to look as if was not going to be the end to life at Mint Bridge that everyone wanted.

However something we should have learnt in recent seasons, was not to write this team off, as they came straight back into the game.

After good build up work, the ball seemed to have been moved in the wrong direction, to Zane Butler who was isolated on the right wing, but he did very well to make ground, then the ball was taken on by the only player in support, Duncan Green, who was showing no ill effects of a recent layoff. Although he was stopped, when the ball was moved wide, Glen Wightman, who as ever was looking for openings finally found one, and scythed through for a try under the posts, and then added the conversion.

Billingham then showed why they were pushing for a top four finish. The ball was first moved right, then back left. Despite our defence somehow managing to get across to stop what looked a certain try, the ball was then moved back right again, and our resistance finally ran out, for a third try, which was converted by their scrum half to restore their lead.

Kendal made their first substitution with Will Montgomery coming on for Dom Musetti.

The scoring spree continued, and this time it was our turn. From a lineout in midfield, Chris Downham, again demonstrated his speed powering through, then just when it looked as he could go all the way, delivering an excellent pass to Damian Armstrong, who had done well to be in support. Whilst he was stopped near the line, he managed to dive over for the score

Dom Musetti returned in place of Ben Leacock, and then Mark Carruthers, who had had another good game playing at fullback, was replaced by Nathan Wooff.

We were upping our game, with the old heads of Duncan Green, Liam Hayton and James Gough, continually making ground, but the Billingham defence was as well organised as their attack, and there were few try scoring opportunities.

With ten minutes to play, when awarded a penalty in midfield, the ball was give to Glen Weightman to try to reduce the gap to a single score with a long range kick, and he delivered.

Josh Coyle came off the bench to replace Matty Houghton in the back row.

We continued to push for the important next score, but when a forward was isolated a penalty was conceded to allow Billingham to relieve the pressure.

Looking for a fourth try to extend the lead, but also to gain an important bonus point, Billingham tried to run the ball out of defence. This appeared to be working well, but the gamble then backfired as a pass went loose, and Zane Butler gathered and did not need Nathan Wooff who was in close support, to get to the line for the try, The Billingham defence had however got back to force the ball to be grounded near the corner flag, giving Glen Weightman a difficult kick to level the scores. It was a good effort, but drifted wide.

With five minutes still to play, both teams went looking for another score.

Dini Noyo was forced off with an injury, and Mark Carruthers returned to the field

Glen Weightman appeared to have broken through again, but when he was stopped, the referee quickly blew for failing to release the ball. Billingham put the ball to touch, and played a simple game, keeping the ball tight and inducing penalties, which ran the clock down, and allowed them to hold on for a 20v22 victory.

So not the result we had all hoped for, but Billingham looked a really good side, with a strong defence, and excellent handling skills. So to fight back from fifteen points down, to within two points at the final whistle, seems a fitting end to sign off life at the old Mint Bridge.

15 - Mark Carruthers
14 - Zane Butler
13 - Damian Armstrong
12 - Danny Barker
11 - Dini Noyo
10 - Glen Weightman
9 - James Gough

1 - Glenn Chesher
2 - Duncan Green
3 - Dom Musetti
4 - Liam Hayton
5 - Ben Leacock
6 - Joe Robinson
7 - Matty Houghton
8 - Chris Downham

rep - Nathan Wooff
rep - Josh Coyle
rep - Will Montgomery

Next week another game against Billingham - but this time with a different ending

31 March 2012
Westoe (Home)
We lost away to Sheffield Tigers on this weekend, but I was not there and do not have a copy of the report, so had a choice of this game a few weeks earlier, or a 15v21 loss to Harrogate (also on their way to relegation) a few weeks later, but went for this one.

Frank was back after an extended holiday (his wife had been injured whilst skiing, so they could not return when they planned), so my first stint as standing in match reporter had finally ended. So these are my own reflections on the game (and probably better reflect my own views that an official report would have). I did two more official reports before the season ended.

Since a win against Stockport immediately after Christmas, we had lost the next eight and were to lose the final three.

Westoe, had been towards the top of the table, but recent results have seen them slip to seventh. In our big loss away to Bromsgrove the previous week, centre Steffan Thomas had played on one wing, and Alistair Thompson made his debut on the other, Jamie Postlethwaite played scrum half and Liam Hayton was in the back row. For this game Leo Mercer returned on the left wing, and Andrew Boardley came in at scrum half allowing Postlethwaite to drop back to the other wing, whilst Ben Craghill returned allowing Liam to replace Danny Redhead in the second row.

Westoe dominated the early part of the game, and we had difficulty holding them out. Yet again we were struggling in the lineout, losing our own ball on several occasions.

After fifteen minutes, a couple of penalties allowed us to get out of our own half and to start playing. Bizarrely instead of letting Mark Ireland take a simple penalty we instead ran it, only to get penalised for not releasing.

After twenty five minutes we did take the lead with a much more difficult Mark Ireland penalty

Then disaster struck. A long kick through was fielded by the right wing Jamie Postlethwaite but he slipped as he tried to run the ball from his own line, and was driven over by Westoe players. From the resulting scrum a Westoe player broke away and passed to the outside half to score

A second Westoe try looked certain when there was a good passing move down the right wing, but the final tackler stopped the player before the line and he was adjudged to have made a double movement. Unfortunately from the penalty, we again messed up the lineout and a good run from Westoe’s No.12 and a pass to the other centre saw the deficit increase to 3v14.

We then came back and a penalty to the corner, and a good lineout throw led to the No.8 Mark Bowman being driven over 8v14 at half time. Westoe clearly felt that we had the upper hand, as when time ran out, the ball was deliberately kicked directly into touch, rather than taking an attacking opportunity.

At half time we swapped hookers, bringing on Duncan Green.

After seven minutes of the second half Westoe increased their lead, when poor tackling allowed their centre an easy run to the line for his second try.

Five minutes later, we were back in the game again. A break down the left touchline by veteran No.8 Mark Bowman, saw Kendal get a lineout and the ball was moved across the field to the right wing Jamie Postlethwaite, who had two players to beat but somehow did it. The deficit was down to six points with the Mark Ireland’s difficult conversion.

We continued on the attack, and after losing the ball to give away a scrum, No.8 Mark Bowman was again on hand to steal a ball off Westoe at the back of the scrum, the ball was moved to the left wing where a missed pass found young left wing Leo Mercer in space to score. This time the conversion failed, but we were within a point. Would we live to regret the odd decision not to take the easy points in the first half ?

We continued to push, and after showing a lot of patience, the referee finally waved a yellow card at the Westoe No.8 and the Mark Ireland put the penalty over to take the lead 23v21.

Next came a controversial moment. Westoe had a scrum close to the Kendal line. It appeared that as scrum half Andrew Boardley challenged for the ball, the Westoe flanker hit him. The touch judge immediately raised his flag, but the referee played on and again the Westoe No.12 ripped our defence apart for the other centre to score. The Kendal supporters waited for the touch judge to step in, but he didn’t. It was possible that he had talked to the referee by radio, and he had seen it, but did not feel it needed any action. The fairly easy conversion failed but Westoe were back in front 23v26.

With five minutes to go we got another kickable penalty, and after a short debate went for the draw 26v26.

In injury time more controversy involving the same touch judge. Westoe put in a long kick and the (totally impartial) crowd behind the posts seemed sure it had gone out behind the line, and play should go back to where the ball was kicked. Instead the touch judge put his flag up near the line. There was a discussion with the referee but the decision stood. Westoe won the ball and from the resulting move, Kendal No.8 Mark Bowman was yellow carded, which seemed a little harsh considering all the warnings Westoe had had, but I think the referee had complained earlier than he thought Bowman was trying to referee the game.

Westoe went for a scrum and from the resulting play, a prop ploughed over for a try which was converted 26v31.

The referee said there were four minutes to play, I had thought the conversion would be the final kick of the game, as we had already played three minutes over and there had been no major injuries.

We had a few chances, but instead of feeding our wings, who had already proved what they could do, we tried to play the ball up the middle of the field where Westoe had us well policed.

So another one that got away. Westoe did not look like a top half team.

We were now mathematically relegated as we were eighteen points adrift of Leicester Lions, with only three games (15 points including try scoring bonus points) to go.

Whilst we ended the season with just five wins from our thirty games, nine of the losses (seven at Mint Bridge) including this one were within 7 points (two of the wins also were).

15 - Simon Mulholland
14 - Jamie Postlethwaite
13 - Ian Voortman
12 - Dave Barton
11 - Leo Mercer
10 - Mark Ireland
9 - Andrew Boardley

1 - Richard Harryman
2 - Matty Houghton
3 - Glenn Chesher
4 - Liam Hayton
5 - Reece Tomlinson
6 - Garry Holmes
7 - Ben Craghill
8 - Mark Bowman

rep - Billy Coxon
rep - Alistair Thompson
rep - Duncan Green
rep Craig Rumney
rep James Thompson

21 April 2007
Carlisle (Cumbria Cup Final : Penrith)
This game sits in the desert where I currently do not have access to my notes, so is based on the scoring pattern noted on the programme.

We had played Birkenhead Park away on 14 April, which was one of only two away wins that season, but I was not there so have even less details of what happened

The programme lists past winners and in over 100 years of competition we had only previously won it twice in 1994/5 and 1997/8 with Mike Capstick picking up the Man of the Match in the second.

We opened the scoring after seven minutes with a try from Nick McKain playing on the right wing, which was converted by left wing Andrew Boardley.

This remained the score for half an hour, when Carlisle pulled a penalty back through back row man Bobby Sherlock, and before half time he added a second to leave us with just a one point half time lead.

Ten minutes into the second half we added a second try scored by second row Mike Capstick, again converted by Andrew Boardley.

Three minute later we extended the lead to fifteen points with a Duncan Green try converted by Boardley, but was this to be our last score.

Five minutes later Carlisle pulled five points back through a try by their fullback but we held out to lift the cup which we retained a season later.

I seem to remember it being a much closer game, in which Carlisle played very well.

Lewis Boyd and Matt Charters featured in the Carlisle team

The official stats have John Ladell on the wing and Nick McKain at centre, but I am going with my programme notes, as I think I would have recognised both.

15 - Simon Mulholland
14 - Nick McKain
13 - Nick Michelini
12 - John Ladell
11 - Andrew Boardley
10 - Chris Park
9 - James Gough

1 - Billy Coxon
2 - Duncan Green
3 - Richard Harryman
4 - Liam Hayton
5 - Mike Capstick
6 - Garry Holmes
7 - Mark Wilson
8 - Rob Quarry

rep - Ian Ross (3)
rep - Warren Wharton (14)
rep - Luke Jacobs (13)

13 April 2002
Newbury (Home)
I was at this game and the one against Preston Grasshoppers (on their way to relegation) at the end of March which we won 48v8, but for some reason have no notes of either.

This was the final game of the season, the win against Hoppers had secured our League status for another season, but only Stourbridge (who we had also earlier beaten) sat below us and the bottom three, but the visitors started the day only two points ahead of us, with a far inferior points difference so we could have gone above them. In fact despite having only won ten of our twenty five games we had a points difference of only minus 18.

Back row man Mike Burrnett had dropped out before kick off with Mark Bowman coming off the bench and Adrian Nutter taking his place there.

We went behind to a penalty but came back to take the lead with a try from Jason Balmer.

He added a second, converted by Mike Scott who was captaining the team, to extend the lead before the Newbury outside half scored a try converted by the centre, to bring Newbury to within two points

Fullback Paul Dodds added a drop goal before Balmer got his third try, which was converted by Mike Scott for a 22v10 half time lead.

This was the season Darren Sharpe made an emergency return at scrum half. Mark Airey had since returned, but was then injured against Preston, so Richard Morris had come in, but he was himself injured after twenty three minutes and was replaced by Adrian Nutter. Without notes I am not sure if he went scrum half, or if not who did.

We also lost Ian Gowing to injury after twenty six minutes to be replaced by Nigel Pearson. Ian Thompson had been the hooker against Preston, so may have shifted across again.

According to the official stats, just before half time we also lost Ian Voortman, for ten minutes for “fighting” – no idea if he went alone or took a new found friend from Newbury with him.

Nine minutes into the second half we also lost hat-trick try scorer Jason Balmer to injury with Craig Atkinson coming on.

Not sure if all this disrupted the team or Newbury had the elements in their favour after half time but they turned the game around.

A converted try was followed by a penalty to bring them to within two points.

A try gave them the lead, extended with a penalty and a converted try gave them a 22v35 win, taking the second half 0v25.

15 - Paul Dodds
14 - Jason Balmer
13 - Chris Malherbe
12 - Ian Voortman
11 - Aaron Myers
10 - Mike Scott
9 - Richard Morris

1 - Billy Coxon
2 - Ian Gowing
3 - Ian Thompson
4 - Keith Robinson
5 - Dave Preston
6 - Colin Wolstenholme
7 - Mark Bowman
8 - Adrian Bateson

rep - Nigel Pearson
rep - Dave Preston
rep - Adrian Nutter
rep Craig Atkinson

Not sure if this has been reported elsewhere – if it has I have missed (or forgotten) it so thought I would mention it, that the 3G has got some use over the Winter.

Link to report

Richard Rose is a local School (sorry Academy) just beyond Carlisle’s rugby ground

PHOTO : The victorious Cumbria Cup Squad

I think Mark Wilson's appearance has changed a little more than many of the others ?