Away Day Blues

Wigton’s away programme finished yesterday with a visit to Bower Park for our fourth meeting of the season with Aspatria. Yesterday’s was possibly the most sparsely attended Wigton Aspatria Match I can remember. There was a time when a substantial percentage of the population of the towns would attend but yesterday’s match had the air of being a case of over indulgence in a favourite dish. Perhaps it is a case of Local Derby Fatigue; others may see it as indicative of a deeper malaise permeating the grassroots of the sport in Cumbria.

As for the game, Aspatria wanted the win in order to nail down a play off place, and Wigton had little to play for other than local pride. Aspatria won 58-21 in a game in which they showed a greater ability to take their opportunities. Wigton were less clinical with theirs and paid the price. As a side plot, entertainment was provided by trying to anticipate what was coming next from the exchange referee, although it would be stretching the point to say that officiating affected the end result.

Wigton had the better start winning three early turnovers at the breakdown. Oliver Lewis made a strong run into the home 22 being stopped by Aspatria stand off Jack Clegg’s impression of a speed bump. However, Clegg picked up an injury in the process and had to leave the pitch. The Black Reds had no backs on the bench and moved Greg Dickinson from the second row to the centre. Matthew Atkinson, who may have preferred to be in the centre, came in to the second row.

Dickinson was soon penalised near his own line for a deliberate knock on and Wigton had a great opportunity to get on the scoreboard with a lineout on the five metre line. However, the aforementioned great opportunity was squandered when Wigton were penalised for taking too long to throw the ball in.

However, Wigton were looking in good shape again when a turnover gave them possession in their own half. All of a sudden Aspatria were awarded a penalty for a Wigton player speaking out of turn. It became apparent that the referee was not going to tolerate noise from players such as calling, “offside!”, “knock on!”, “he’s holding on!” etc. Aspatria centre, now fly half, Ryan Scott kicked the three points.

There then followed a number of fumbles in midfield, but the referee awarded the scrum to Aspatria. From that possession near halfway, flanker Phil Dixon made a powerful run into the Wigton 22. He was well tackled by the defence, but offloaded from the ground to the supporting Dickinson, who scored. Scott added a wide conversion for a 10-0 lead.

At the restart Wigton were deemed to have had men in front of the kicker and the following scrum gave Aspatria a platform for their next attack. Elliot Armstrong seemed to have relieved the pressure with an excellent steal at the breakdown, but a loose kick invited the pressure back on and Wigton were penalised near their five metre line. Wigton had two men down and receiving attention but the referee allowed Aspatria to take a quick tap. This was especially frustrating as on other occasions in the game he held play up for an injury well in the backfield. However, the move was concluded by centre Heine Jonker making a powerful burst to score whilst Scott again converted.

17-0 soon became 24-0 as Aspatria scored straight from the restart, retaining possession well with prop Adam Cavanagh scoring whilst Scott again added the extras.

In the closing period of the half Wigton finally enjoyed some success. Aspatria knocked on at the restart and from the scrum Wigton attacked down the left hand side, but failed to make the best use of an overlap, knocking the ball on. However, the referee was playing advantage for a high tackle and so Wigton were able to kick for an attacking lineout a few yards out. Aspatria stopped the drive two yards from their line, but only by illegal means as flanker Andrew Holcroft was yellow carded.

Wigton took a scrum and the referee again played advantage for Aspatria failing to drive straight. Wigton looked certain to score but full back John Wright was held up over the line. Again Wigton took a scrum and this time No 8 Greg Wrathall was able to score with Dan Reed adding a good conversion.

Wigton were now on a roll and were handed another opportunity when Aspatria’s restart failed to travel ten metres. In fact, it ended up rolling backwards into touch in their own half. The referee awarded Wigton a scrum at the centre but the opportunity was lost with a fumble at the scrum base. Nevertheless it was not long before Wigton won a penalty and a close lineout seemed to be heading over the Aspatria line. Suddenly Cavanagh emerged from the maul with the ball and headed up field. The move ended with winger Grant Bethwaite opting for a chip and chase, but the Wigton defence were able to get to the ball first and resumed play with a twenty two metre drop out.

Another penalty kept Wigton on the attack and a try was expertly fashioned by stand off Dan Reed who produced a brilliant offload out of contact which was well anticipated by second row John Story who scored under the posts. Reed’s conversion meant that by halftime the gap had been narrowed to 24-14.

Hopes of a Wigton comeback were soon frustrated however. Firstly Reed was rather harshly yellow carded for claiming an Aspatria player was off his feet at a ruck. The Black Reds eagerly took advantage of their extra man, racking up a flurry of points.

Their first try saw Atkinson unusually lurking in the wide channels waiting for the ball and he was able to gallop over for a converted try. Wigton thought that an Aspatria player might see a red card when Holcroft was penalised for a high tackle on winger Billy Stafford. A second yellow card would see him leave the field for good. The referee had a lengthy talk with him but decided to keep his cards in his pocket.

Wigton got turned over after fielding a kick and with a big overlap Bethwaite was allowed too much space and was able to score. He soon followed that with a second trynscored in very similar fashion. Wigton failed to take chances to relive pressure by a number of missed touches and surrendered a good position from a penalty with a throw being not straight. Aspatria were now sensing opportunities if they moved the ball wide quickly and Jonker crossed for his second try.

Some respite came for Wigton when Aspatria second row Richard Miller was yellow carded, but by now the score had rattled up to 48-14. The Greens gained good field position in the home twenty two and when they won a penalty they opted for a scrum. Frustratingly Aspatria took the ball against the head and No 8 Gary Hodgson took advantage of some fairly benign tackling to carry almost to halfway. The ball was then spread wide and Dickinson scored to make it 53-14.

Wigton battled away with Fraser Ledingham taking a lot of responsibility for tackling and ball carrying, particularly after Wrathall left the field with a thigh strain. Wigton’s endeavours were rewarded when centre Steven Harris picked up a loose ball in midfield and carried to the 22. Hooker Elliot Armstrong was there in support to gallop over for a deserved try. Reed’s conversion narrowed the gap to 53-21.

However, Aspatria had the final word as Cavanagh wrestled the ball away at the restart and quick hand moved the ball to Dickinson who was able to notch up his hat trick. The final score was 58-21.

There is now a wait of three weeks before the final home game of the season sees newly promoted Keswick visit Lowmoor Road.