The Green Team March On!

Wigton's backs again proved too sharp for the opposition in this Cumbria Derby game played at a breezy Lowmoor Road. However, the Egremont pack will feel pleased with their efforts in the mauls and line outs where they made several drives of 30 metres or more. However when they had to move the ball from the mauls they looked much less comfortable.

For the home team, the scoring started with the first of eleven tries in the sixth minute. Ali Ledingham, getting back into the swing of rugby after a year away from the game, ran a kick back from full back. The ball was passed out to Jordan Wood who experienced the first of several near misses when he was high tackled. From the subsequent penalty Wigton set up a maul and Deans carried over the line. Ledingham was unable to improve.

Ledingham initiated the next score with a scything run. He seemed certain to score but was stopped by a great tackle. The ball was illegally handled in the ruck to stop release and referee Ben Blain yellow carded Chris Temple the Egremont hooker. Another driving maul came from the penalty with the try this time coming from Atkinson. Ledingham added the conversion to make it 12-0.

The next try came as a result of smart work by the centres, David Percival and Will Miller. Percival, making a debut start, was enjoying a fine game as befits last year's Wanderers player of the year. Percival and Miller timed crisp passes, drawing men and putting Jordan Wood away on half way. As he tried to come off his left foot to beat the last man, Wood fell over. Indeed he spent much of the march falling over near the line that some spectators were left wondering whether he had left his studs at home. However, he was able to get away a pass to the supporting John Story who scored under the posts. The conversion gave a 19-0 score line.

Wigton scored again from the restart as Deans made a strong run down the middle before finding Percival in support. He, growing into his role and making the most of his first team opportunity, made further ground before passing to Wood who.............fell over, but again found Story supporting in an almost identical position to two minutes previously. The result was the same. So by the twenty minute mark Wigton had secured the bonus point and a 26-0 lead

The next try followed a scrum. This was an area where Wigton had the upper hand for most of the match , and particularly in the first half. A no 8 pickup was defended by Egremont, but the ball found itself in the hands of Deans, who, with all the urgency of a man with a wedding to go to imminently, performed a passable impression of a bowling ball through skittles, scattering defenders in all direction and charging like a snorting rhino from halfway to score. Ledingham's conversion gave us a score of 33-0.

Whilst all these tries were being scored, Egremont were making decent efforts to put themselves on the scoreboard. Their efforts were rewarded when Wigton tried to run the ball out of the 22. Dobson made a strong run but the ball went loose and was picked up by Egremont. A series of forward charges with close support brought the try line in sight. Josh Kelly went close but from the resulting ruck Chris Temple, back from his enforced ten minute rest, plunged over to score. Liam Nicholls added the conversion. The score remained 33-7 until half time.

After their fairly fluent spell of try scoring, Wigton were guilty of forcing passes and were prone to giving away the ball. However, Egremont rarely looked like capitalising except through forward drives and some strong thrusts by Donaldson in the centre. Nicholls tried his hand with a variety of kicks, but they rarely had the desired effect and often gave Wigton's backs ammunition to strike back. Egremont can not have been encouraged to note that Wigton would have use of the wind in the second half. On the plus side for Egremont, Deans left the field for the day to attend to his hectic social life. He was replaced by 18 year old Cambridge bound debutant Oliver Lewis,who brought the average age of the pack down, but the average IQ up.

Egremont created an opportunity early in the second half. Donaldson ran strongly then stayed on his feet to form the focus for a driven maul which took play thirty metres upfield to the Wigton try line. However, what would have been a scoring pass was delivered with less than the required precision to end up in the hands of Wood.

Egremont were enjoying a good share of possession but were turned over on halfway. Russell McLean, whose father was once a star at Egremont, made a strong run before finding Ali Ledingham in support. He looked odds-on to score but was tap tackled. He got the ball off the ground to Wood who was held up by strong defence. The ball was recycled and Ledingham put out a long pass to the right into the hand of Miller who fed Percival for a deserved try. The conversion was added. 40-7.

Egremont again came back with a series of sustained drives. They were also getting quite a bit of joy at the line out, where Wigton's throwing in was......unpredictable. However all their endeavour was undone when Wigton got the ball. When Egremont were penalised near half way for off side, the ball was spun wide quickly to Greg Smith on the right wing who finished well for an unconverted try. 47-7.

Wigton scored again from the restart as Ledingham ran at the line and dummied his way clear. He drew the last man to put Jay Henderson, who was running well in support and looking impressive with his running and handling, over the line for another unconverted try. 50-7.

Egremont had a weary look to them but produced another impressive forward drive and crossed the line but were unable to score. Shortly afterwards Wood was tackled just short for the 47th time but Egremont were penalised. More quick passing again produced a try for Smith, but no conversion. 55-7.

Egremont still came back looking for another score. This time they were thwarted when fly half Long was tackled and stripped of the ball by Atkinson. Brown made the initial break, finding Henderson in support who in turn passed to Smith who touched down for a hat trick scored in very short order. Ledingham converted to make it 62-7. The muscular Brown, (sponsored by Tynedale) non stop energy all afternoon, was to be the supporters' man of the match.

From the kick off Smith, who seemed to have a wandering brief, caught the ball and moved it open to Ledingham. He rounded off an excellent game by selling a ridiculous dummy and sprinting away to score. This produced a final score of 67-7.

So far we have looked pretty potent with the ball in hand and have even been able to get away with blowing some scoring chances. We have scored 165 points but I think we have yet to attempt to kick a penalty goal. Ali Ledingham attempted a drop at goal today. It went wide and with a lead of fifty or so points did not impress the supporters, being greeted with stony silence.

From the sidelines our biggest concern as we visit Keswick the only other unbeaten team next week, seems to be our line out. Several people have tried their hands at throwing in. At we point we had our best lineout man and tallest forward throwing he ball in. Surely if Akky is at the front of the line we can find someone to hit him? Perhaps we could make use of the eight interchanges rule to bring Smelly on to throw in?