Last updated at 21:27, Thursday, 15 March 2012

Cockermouth prop Johnny Goulding faces a race against time to be fit for a dream Great Britain U23 tour to Jamaica in late June.

RACE AGAINST TIME: Cocker-mouth’s Johnny Goulding

Goulding, a member of Cumbria’s county championship-winning side last term, dislocated and fractured his ankle in an innocuous tackle in the Cumberland League opener against Maryport.

Chairman Paul Henson said: “He felt a burning sensation, and his leg was facing south and his ankle facing east.

“Obviously we got an ambulance right away, and a paramedic gave him drugs. It has been operated on and a plate put in, and the surgeon has told him he should make a full recovery.

“He’s down about the tour, as it’s a great experience for amateur lads, once-in-a-lifetime.

“It’s touch-and-go whether he recovers in time. It all depends how the healing goes and he’ll take it from there.”

Goulding, Barla U21 international player of the season in 2010, is not the only Cockermouth youngster to earn a call-up, with half-back Sean Mumberson and hooker Matty Henson, named in the Emerging Lions squad.

They will join Kells pair Ben Milburn and Connor Holliday and Charlie Tomlinson of Wath Brow on a week-long trip to the Czech Republic in June, to include two Tests against the Czech U19.

“We are happy with how it’s going at the club,” chairman Henson added. “It’s a really young team with about five U17s. We are looking to the future.

“We probably lack a couple of older, experienced lads in the pack.”

Cockermouth suffer due to many of their players working shifts. They were without five for their 34-12 defeat to Maryport and expect to be two or three down at Seaton tomorrow.

“We are happy to be in the first division, and that’s where we are looking to stay, whether we are second top or second bottom. Ged Stokes is a really good coach and the lads are learning from him,” he continued.

First published at 19:23, Thursday, 15 March 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk