Last updated 12:01, Monday, 29 December 2008

Aspatria 3 Wigton 34: Wigton handed out a shock to neighbours Aspatria in Saturday’s seasonal challenge at Bower Park.

The visitors, who play at a level lower than their hosts, won 34-3 – scoring six tries and without conceding any.

Coach Malcolm Brown, a former player, captain and coach at Aspatria took special satisfaction in the result, but also in the performance.

“Scoring six tries and not conceding one against a team from a Division above you has to be satisfying and I thought we could have won even handier. It was an excellent performance and I hope we can go on and repeat that in the remaining League games,” said Brown.

Melvyn Hanley, the Aspatria stalwart said: “No complaints. We were well beaten on the day and full marks to Wigton. They broke really well and their young backs looked particularly sharp.”

It was an outstanding performance from Wigton who, beforehand, had been the team least keen on playing because of the frosty conditions.

That reluctance didn’t last long because after six minutes they scored the first try when Dan Reed went down the short side to put winger Tom Gardner over and Tane Manihera added the conversion.

Aspatria reduced the arrears with a Dan Rayson penalty but on 26 minutes Wigton scored their second try. Rayson, who had just replaced player coach Mike Scott, had a clearance kick charged down by Wigton skipper Greg Morton who completed the task of touching down.

On the half hour mark excellent play by the Wigton backs eventually saw Chris Pattinson and Gardner put David Hanabury in for the try.

Only a brilliant tackle by Aspatria’s best player Gary Hodgson denied Hanabury a second try when he collared him right in the corner.

On the hour Wigton increased their lead when Andy Brown took advantage of some indecision in the Aspatria defence to score and Manihera converted.

Wigton spread the ball wide on 66 minutes and a fine off-load from Hanabury put Andrew Logue over.

The sixth and final try came on 72 minutes when Richard Moffat broke clear and went 30 metres to score.

Aspatria suffered more than the defeat, which lost them local bragging rights, but there were injuries to key players Hodgson, Scott and Graeme Andrews.

Wigton Wanderers were beaten 34-12 by a Students team in an inter-club challenge on Boxing Day.

Apart from the Fell brothers from Penrith - Jon and Phil, whose late father played for Wigton – the Students team was made-up of players from the town.

The game was refereed by head coach Malcolm Brown who had a first-hand look at the talent available at Lowmoor Road.

“We had a total of 42 players involved in the game and none of them took part in Saturday’s game at Aspatria, so there are plenty of bodies – and talented ones – at the club now,” said Brown.

The Students got off to a flier with a try on seven minutes by Greg Smith after some outstanding back play. He added the conversion himself.

The more experienced Wanderers side fell further behind on 13 minutes when Richard Moffat raced through for the second try, again converted by Greg Smith.

It was a point-a-minute when the lead was increased to 19-0 with an unconverted try from Gareth Smith.

The Wanderers started to come into the game and they reduced the arrears on 22 minutes with a try by Fion Barnes which Johnny Charters converted.

The Wanderers were threatening a fight-back when Johnny Proudlock shot through for the second try just after the hour but that was as it good as it got.

The more youthful Students made their extra fitness and sharpness tell against the tiring Wanderers.

They scored three unconverted tries. Phil Fell and John Wright crossed and the best of the lot came in the last minute when they counter-attacked from their own try line before Calum Studholme went over at the other end.

Keswick won 33-22 at Penrith on Boxing Day in their annual game. They will play the return at Keswick on New Year’s Day.