Points aplenty as Greens dominate

Forward dominance, especially of the set pieces, was the foundation of Wigton’s entertaining 43-24 home victory against Upper Eden. The visitors however, realising they were under the cosh at set plays, were prepared to be enterprising, looking to run the ball whenever the opportunity presented. They were rewarded with a bonus point for scoring four tries and did enough to suggest the return fixture will be no foregone conclusion. The match was also noteworthy for being the 300th First XV appearance of second row stalwart Robert Marrs, someone who would challenge for a place in any Wigton team of any time.

Wigton made a lively start, scoring the first try after a lineout drive and some good close quarter approach work by the pack. When the ball was released stand off Josh Leeson passed to centre Stephen Harris running the straightest of straight lines. He clattered through two tacklers to go under the sticks for a try which Leeson converted. Upper Eden had their hands full with strong running centres Harris and Ollie Lewis all afternoon.

Wigton’s next attacking position came courtesy of a Leeson break when he showed good pace. With the defence well and truly stretched, Upper Eden were caught offside. Wigton opted for a scrum. Leeson, under a good deal of pressure from the defence, took a pass and then hit Harris with a flat ball for the centre to charge over for a second try which was again converted by Leeson for a 14-0 lead.

A long kick from Wigton found the defence at sixes and sevens and Wigton were awarded a scrum in the 22. After some carrying from the forwards Leeson again passed to Harris for the finishing touch. Somewhat surprisingly Leeson’s conversion from in front of the posts was charged down as he took the kick too close for comfort.

Upper Eden, even at 19-0 down, were not about to throw in the towel. Running the ball from their own half, a penalty gave them possession about thirty yards out from the Wigton line. A further penalty was conceded for a high tackle and the visitors showed good retention as they moved the ball right and then left, resulting in an overlap and a try for scrum half Brass, narrowing the score to 19-5.

A defensive error gifted Wigton a lineout on the five metre line. The pack made short work of a catch and drive with Mark Trow claiming the score. Leeson made no mistake with the conversion to give Wigton a 26-5 lead.

Wigton’s next try followed a forty yard run by Upper Eden’s full back Todd. Unfortunately most of this yardage was across and backwards. As he fielded the ball in his own half he tried to run around the tackler but found he was facing a line of tacklers. He tried to use his pace to get around the outside but only succeeded in going backwards across the pitch before being bundled into touch. Wigton once again executed a lineout drive and this time it was Elliot Armstrong who came up with the ball at the bottom of the heap. Leeson’s conversion gave Wigton a comfortable 33-5 lead.

Wigton continued to dominate the set pieces but Upper Eden stuck to their task in the second half, scoring three tries of their own. A defensive error by Wigton gave Upper Eden possession five metres out and a converted try narrowed the score to 33-12.

Wigton tried to hit back, taking play into the visitors’ 22, but a penalty seemed to have blown the chance. However, skipper John Story kept the pressure on by taking the ball on the Upper Eden throw at the lineout. Wigton spent an interminable period five metres out, trying to cross from a series of close scrums. However, the Upper Eden defence was showing greater determination and held out for quite a time until another driven lineout produced a second try for Armstrong making the score 38-12.

Leeson departed injured and as Wigton reshaped their back division they seemed to lose a little sharpness. A loose pass went to Upper Eden fly half Bennett who made good progress, drawing a penalty for a high tackle. Once again the ball was tapped and kept moving, stretching the defensive line and producing a converted try to give a 38-19 scoreline. As the game became unnecessarily tetchy, referee Rebecca Rees showed one of the Upper Eden forwards a yellow card which seemed to calm things down.

Wigton pushes their total up to 43 when Story scored from a rather messy scrum, but Upper Eden had the final word with a well constructed try. Full back Todd scored with a powerful run to show he could go forwards as well as backwards. The conversion was missed but Upper Eden had a bonus point. However, from a Wigton point of view the 43-24 win keeps them just behind league leaders Cockermouth.