Close but no cigar

Wigton were unable to derail Aspatria’s bid for a promotion play off position as they went down 36-21 in an entertaining game at Bower Park. On the balance of play Aspatria (through gritted teeth) probably deserved their win. They were more clinical in the Wigton 22 than vice versa, and also seemed to get greater distance on their clearance kicks. Having said that Wigton several times had very promising positions but were not able to get the tries.

Wigton opened the scoring when a high tackle on second row Mark Deans enabled full back Ryan Clark to slot a penalty goal. The next period of the game belonged to Aspatria as Wigton coughed up the ball and gave away penalties to bring pressure on themselves.

Aspatria had a lineout in Wigton’s 22 and quickly drove forward to set up a ruck. In what must have been a set move, prop Graham Andrews hung wide, took a pass and acted as a pivot. Full back Lee Tinnion ran onto the short pass straight and hard and the Wigton defenders were unable to halt his progress as he crashed over the line. Stand off Ryan Scott added the extras to make the score 7-3.

Another penalty soon gave Scott a chance to extend the lead. The ball came back off the cross bar but the defence struggled with awkward bounces and were unable to clear convincingly. Defending in midfield, Wigton were penalised yet. Tinnion stepped up and gave the ball a terrific thump to Wigton’s five metre line. With everyone expecting a catch and drive, Aspatria instead used second row Matthew Atkinson on a peel round the tail. The defence had not had time to get set before Andrews took the next pass coming round the corner to crash over for Aspatria’s second try. Scott again converted and Aspatria were feeling comfortable at 14-3.

Wigton continued the habit of being penalised and Aspatria set up another lineout in the Greens’ 22. However, as Aspatria tried to drive a maul, referee Martin Maughan blew his whistle and showed a yellow card to Aspatria’s second row Liam Ridley for what was deemed a gouging offence.

This enabled Wigton to finally enjoy some possession in Black Red territory. Retention improved and the forwards started to win collisions and generate quick ball. Deans, in his favourite midfield channel attracted a number of defenders to produce a hint of an overlap. Right winger Josh Leeson did well to step inside the defence and take play almost to the tryline. When Wigton moved the ball left they had several men in the clear and No 8 Greg Wrathall took the final pass from Deans and ran behind the posts. Clark’s conversion put a different complexion on things at 14-10.

However Wigton committed the cardinal sin of making a mess of the restart, knocking the ball on. From the resulting scrum, No 8 Gary Hodgson made a powerful run and centre Heine Jonker was on hand to carry on the momentum. When the ball was moved wide it was Wigton’s turn to be caught short handed and right winger Andrew Miller was able to claim an unconverted try to put Aspatria at 19-10.

Wigton then dominated the remainder of the half and several times looked sure to score. First of all it Aspatria’s turn to knock on from the restart and Wrathall made ground with a threatening run, but the supporting player was bundled into touch near the five metre line. Wigton created panic in the defence when Aspatria’s clearance kick was charged down and bobbled around tantalisingly. Wigton claimed it but a pass was ruled forward.

From the scrum which followed Hodgson started to carry the ball away for Aspatria. However, the normally dependable No 8 spilled the ball in contact and Wigton reclaimed it. A try seemed in the offing as Wigton had a ruck on the line but they were thwarted illegally by the defence. There were some who thought the episode might bring a penalty try and a yellow card but Wigton had to be content with a penalty which Clark kicked.

From the restart Wigton scrum half Dan Reed put up a box kick which found firm ground in front of Tinnion and winger Grant Bethwaite. The ball bounced at some unexpected angles and had Wigton been able to claim the ball cleanly, a try was waiting. Instead Aspatria were awarded a scrum. The clearance kick was run back by Wigton and winger Stephen Harris was tackled into touch fifteen yards out. Wigton won the line on Aspatria’s throw and again took play up to the line only to be frustrated by another penalty. The referee gave Aspatria a clear warning but again Wigton had to be satisfied with a straightforward three points from the boot of Clark. At least as the whistle blew for half time Wigton were right back in the match at 19-16.

The second half saw some end to end play but it was Aspatria who were more successful at getting the ball over the line. Deep kick offs and restarts found Wigton struggle to make ground into the breeze with clearance kicks. Shortly after the resumption of play Aspatria had a lineout on Wigton’s 22. Tinnion again took the ball running off Andrews, but this time he was stopped by the defence. However, Aspatria kept possession and with advantage being played they moved the ball wide to Miller who was able to squeeze in at the corner. The conversion fell short but Aspatria now held a 24-16 advantage.

Wigton upped their game again and ran the ball back from Aspatria’s clearance kicks. Clark, Moffatt and Lewis got Wigton going forward as fly half Hanabury started to pull the strings. One attack was halted when the referee accidentally impeded the defence but from the scrum Wrathall, having a great dual with Hodgson, got Wigton going forward again. The ball went wide and Hanabury hit Moffatt running a great line. He seemed sure to score but the defence scrambles back and the ball failed to find one of the support runners. To make matters worse, Tinnion and scrum half Ward were getting good distance on their clearances. Wigton’s cause was not helped when the powerful Moffatt left the field injured.

From Aspatria’s next attack Tinnion, becoming his team’s most threatening player, ran on a wide arc and was tackled into touch eight yards out. Wigton challenged a box kick but knocked on and conceded a scrum on their 22. Aspatria moved the ball wide quickly and Wigton were caught narrow. Bethwaite was tackled but on the next phase of play coming back inside, Hodgson was able to score. Scott converted and Aspatria had a decent gap at 31-16.

Wigton looked to respond immediately and Hanabury opened the defence up with a kick over the top. Leeson toe ended the ball on into a dangerous position in the Aspatria 22. Ward got back to drop on the ball but Clark arrived just as he was in the act of rising. There was spectacular looking collision and the referee ruled that Clark had hit Ward’s back with his knees and showed the Wigton full back a yellow card.

Aspatria were now trying to tie the game up, using deep kicks to try and pen the Greens in the own half. However, Hanabury, Head of the Escape Committee, engineered another breakout in midfield. Aspatria were penalised and Wigton set up a line about seven or eight yards out. The forwards kept the ball close and tried to batter their way over the line. Aspatria infringed and with the referee playing advantage, Hanabury jinked his way over for a try, narrowing the gap to 31-21.

However, there was to be no grandstand finish. Wigton infringed from the restart and the Black Reds had a line fifteen out. From the resulting play proceedings were interrupted by a fracas involving Wigton prop Lindsay Walker with Andrew Miller in the red corner for Aspatria.this was an unlikely pair of pugilists with one of them not even a forward. The referee decided, probably wisely to yellow card the pair of them and they took no further part in the game with there being less than ten minutes remaining.

Aspatria had the last word. Another lineout drew another yellow card, this time for Wrathall, for pulling down the maul. Instead of taking another lineout, Atkinson tapped the penalty and ran for the line. He was hauled down, but quick hands sent the ball to flanker Greg Dickinson, lurking with intent on the wing. That brought the curtain down on proceedings with Aspatria the 36-21 winners.

So, Aspatria retain an interest in the 2017-18 season for at least another week, as for Wigton, they can look forward to a summer’s rest. We can look back on the season with considerable satisfaction, particularly our 100% home record, generally achieved with very attractive open rugby. We will hope to have everyone fit and available for the start of the 2018-19 season.