Rugby Union By John Walsh

Last updated 05:23, Friday, 05 December 2008

CARLISLE have an opportunity to make progress away from the North Two East relegation zone tomorrow.

Ready for action: Martin McGimpsey, pictured, and skipper Steve Stamper will prop for young hooker Tom Graham in their home game against Durham City

Weather permitting, the city side entertain Durham City at Warwick Road looking to improve on their position of fourth bottom.

The north east side may be rooted to the foot of the table but there is no room for complacency.

In their last outing, away at Driffield, Durham gained their first league points of the season with a shock victory. Carlisle are five points better off.

After an enforced two week break due to cup commitments by other clubs, Carlisle resume league action and the pack is basically the same as that which has been fairly consistent for most of the season so far.

Steve Stamper (captain) and Martin McGimpsey prop for young hooker Tom Graham, who has not put a foot wrong so far in his first season of senior rugby, after stepping up to fill the boots of big brother Joe who is now starring for Tynedale.

Aidan Day, another product of the youth system at Warwick Road, continues at lock with partner Martin Grealish.

Day, currently at university in Preston, has put in consistent performances, and despite his relative inexperience has given opponents a torrid time.

The dependable back row of Bobby Sherlock and Matthew Charters on the flanks with Lee Brumpton at eight, remains in place.

Ben Blain and Glen Weightman are in the engine room at 9 and 10 respectively.

The threequarters see some changes. Competent displays for the Crusaders at Darlington Mowden Park last week has encouraged coach, Richard Metcalf, to give a chance to Ross Olney as centre partner for Chris Harris. George Graham comes in on the right wing.

Also in North Two East Penrith are facing up to a difficult run in to Christmas.

They start tomorrow away to Morpeth who are four points worse off than the Cumbrians, with five wins and five defeats so far in the League, but can be quite a handful at home.

Penrith are second and have a game in hand over their opponents but know they must travel with the right attitude.

Tomorrow’s test at Morpeth is followed by a visit from West Hartlepool in the Intermediate Cup and they area league above in North One so again, it will be tough.

Then the final game before the Christmas/New Year shut down is at home to league leaders Old Crossleyans, where Penrith just lost away by a point in the second game of the season. This is one they must win if Penrith are serious about winning the League.

So far Penrith have won seven out of nine League games and won both their Cup matches.

There’s also a consistency about the side with forwards Andrew Dawson, Rob Dawson, David Preston, Ryan Johnson and Ioan Lewis involved in all the games as have backs Toby Slack, Paul Newton and Steve Wood.

Winger Joe Nattrass and centre Martin Armstrong have only missed one game each.

Wood is the top points scorer with eight tries, 12 penalties, 26 conversions (out of 42) and two drop goals. He has had two games with a "full house" try/conversion/penalty/drop goal.

Aspatria also have a big pre-Christmas programme - even though it’s just two matches. They start at home tomorrow against Sandal, the form team in North Two East and then a fortnight later finish the year with a derby game at Carlisle.

Mark Beverley and Dan Rayson, two of the late absentees at Pontefract, are available again and are added to the squad. Mike Scott kicked two penalties in the 23-6 defeat.

There’s a county derby in North Lancs Cumbria where Keswick entertain Wigton at Davidson Park.

Wigton will be mindful that they went to Keswick two years ago in a National Cup match and lost 10-0.

Brian Story scored the Keswick try which Mark Ireland converted but Gray was highly complimentary of the Vale of Lune performance.

Wigton beat Workington 6-0 in a feisty, frosty encounter at Lowmoor Road.

Andrew Logue kicked two penalties, one in each half as Wigton had about 80 per cent of possession and territory.

The Greens will be strengthened for their trip to Keswick by the return of David Warwick, Andy Brown and Lance Hetherington who were unavailable last week.

In addition, after good performances for the Wanderers in a 20-15 defeat by Aspatria Eagles, John Proudlock, Paul Branthwaite, Kevin Wallace and Stuart Creighton are also added to the squad.

Creighton lost 48-0 at Egremont last week and entertain Gosforth Greengarth tomorrow.

Aspatria Eagles will travel to play Workington Steelers.