Close encounter at the Bower

Aspatria gained a coveted victory over Wigton in a typically hard fought contest at Bower Park. The wind and rain were important factors influencing the game, but curiously, each team put together their best rugby when playing into the elements. Wigton had to be content with a losing bonus point in the 17-12 scoreline, but this was not a game without its share of controversial decisions and referee Mr Castles played a key role in the game.

Wigton had use of the wind first, but failed to find the kicking game to keep Aspatria pinned back. The Black Reds tried to build continuity and looked to keep possession close to their pack for long periods. However, in a game with many big collisions ball retention was not always easy. The loss of the ball in the tackle was common to both sides and each had their share of handling errors.

Aspatria had the first clear scoring chance when No 8 Gary Hodgson shrugged off a tackle to break into the 22. However, Jack Clegg’s pass to second row Greg Dickinson was forward and Wigton breathed again. Soon after that Dickinson spilled the ball in midfield. Wigton, still behind the gainline, put together two passes, but the second was intercepted by second row Matthew Atkinson. Everyone waited for the referee to rule there was no advantage and come back for the scrum, but the whistle never came, to the delight of Atkinson who galloped under the sticks. Clegg added the extras to give the home team a 7-0 lead.

Wigton were struggling to keep the ball for long enough to pose an attacking threat although they had a penalty shot at goal which fly half Dan Reed was unable to land. The Aspatria forwards, with Andrews, Atkinson and Hodgson all prominent, tried to work their way down the centre of the park. A penalty enabled them to have an attacking lineout in Wigton’s 22. The ball was not taken cleanly but flanker Andy Holcroft grabbed the loose ball and bounced off a couple of tackles to get close to Wigton’s line. From that position Atkinson was able to dive over to score his second with Clegg again converting. At 14-0, Aspatria were pleased with their work so far. With no further incidents of note, the half time whistle went.

In the second half things got worse for Wigton before they got better. Atkinson took advantage of some careless defence to charge through the middle of a ruck and set up a very threatening field position. Quick hands made use of an overlap for right winger Grant Bethwaite, although many were of the opinion that the last decisive pass was distinctly forward. However, Aspatria did not look gift horses in the mouth and although Clegg could not convert, a 17-0 lead was looking decisive.

However, it was Wigton who dominated the rest of the game as they finally found the accuracy and continuity that had so far evaded them. They used methods similar to Aspatria’s in the first half with a lot of strong, hard carrying churning out the yardage and often forcing the defence into conceding penalties. Second rowers Mark Deans and Robert Marrs, No 8 Greg Wrathall and centre Richard Moffatt all offered themselves as targets time and time again, with scrum half Fergus Ledingham starting to run the show from the breakdowns. The best runs came when the ball carriers got their timing right and came onto the ball from deep. Off the bench, Elliot Armstrong and Kevin Jackson did their bit to keep momentum going, taking some awkward passes at pace. Prop Nathan Bell had probably his best game so far, starting to look increasingly at home in a first team shirt.

From the restart Wigton got into the Aspatria 22 only to lose the ball about twelve yards out. They exerted some pressure from the scrum but Clegg, from his in goal area, found touch near halfway.
Wigton were soon back on the attack. There were few line breaks, but the yards were being ground out. Wigton suffered a blow when centre Oliver Lewis had to leave the field and the team had to be reconfigured. Winger Stephen Harris moved into the centre berth and did all that was asked of him. Colin Sessford went onto the wing but often played like a back row forward, coming off his flank to tidy up rucks or offer himself as a carrier.

After Lewis departed play restarted with a scrum and Wigton worked their way tantalisingly close to the line. With a sniff of an overlap the ball went to winger Kieron Miller who was uncompromisingly thrust into touch. However, the referee ruled he had been prevented from scoring by a high tackle, going under the sticks to award a seven point penalty try.

Aspatria were now looking decidedly less comfortable and started to look at one another. Wigton were soon threatening again with Kieron Miller coming off his win to make a telling run into the 22. Unfortunately the position was lost as the ball was passed into touch.

It is almost impossible to deny a team possession permanently and the chance was always going to come for Clegg to kick Aspatria into Wigton territory. From a penalty he gave his team a lineout 20 yards out. However, for Wigton Robert Marrs won a vital penalty at the break down. With kicking into the wind often giving little respite, Wigton stuck to a strategy of the patient buildup from deep with Ledingham often taking quick tapped penalties to keep The defence on the back foot.

Holcroft excited the home supporters when he ran from his own 22 to draw a penalty forty yards out. However, Clegg was unable to convert the chance to give Aspatria some breathing space. Wigton kept rocking the defence back and a series of penalties, even into the wind, produced lineouts nearer and nearer to the Aspatria line. Finally, from a lineout on the five metre line Marrs was able to batter his way through defenders for Richard Jackson to finish off with an unconverted try in the corner. At 17-12 it was squeaky bum time.

Time was almost up but Wigton gave it a good shot, making ground into the Aspatria half. However, when the ball was dropped that drew the final whistle for a game which finished much more encouragingly for Wigton than it had started. In the final analysis there is little enough between the two teams to keep the dispute over local boasting rights simmering until the next encounter.