Match report Creighton v Carlisle 17-2-24

There were plenty of people at Sycamore Lane to watch the second of the two city derby matches this season between Carlisle and Creighton, despite the best intentions of one of it's residents to make things difficult to access the club.

The conditions underfoot were never going to allow the kind of champagne rugby Carlisle were keen to show as champions of this league. Indeed play was more likely than not to get bogged down in the treacle that passed for a pitch.
This was a day for old school, stick it up your jumper rugby, ground out in rucks and mauls. Not one for fast running backs to throw the ball around. Problem was most of the old school rugby players were standing on the other side of the barrier watching with pints in their hands.

Carlisle started quickly enough with a good break by winger Nathan Greenhow down the right resulting in an uncoverted try as he powered over with 10mins gone.
Ten minutes later no 8 Lloyd Clark grabbed a second as he twisted and turned his way across the line despite the best intentions of the Creighton defender.
Fly half Jake Whittaker swan dived over for the visitors third seven minutes later, after a decent break and slick passing between the back line, put him into space to finish the move.

With Carlisle going into the break 17-0 up, they clearly had the upper hand and must have thought they'd add significantly more in the second half.
Then more rain came and a combination of resolute defence by Creighton and handling errors that resulted in what appeared to be a scrum every few minutes, resulted in a game that simply went nowhere.
The only bright spots were we discovered that Creighton had a mean kicker, who slotted two decent penalties, and long serving Matt Liddle being applauded off the park in his last game for Creighton.
17-6 was looking just a little too close for comfort, especially with an opposition kicker clearly finding his range. It was only when Robbie James finished of a move down the left, and converted his try, that Carlisle could breathe a little easier with just a few minutes to go.
So the game ended 24-6 to Carlisle, and the mathematicians could attest that Carlisle were indeed Champions with one game to go.
Clearly though Carlisle have a lot to do before next week's crucial Cumbria Cup Semi final against Aspatria.
Three games in 6 weeks in this league showed, and demonstrated why the side needs to get back into level 6 rugby.
Whilst the conditions played a huge part in the kind of rugby that could be played,as well as a dogged display by Creighton, there was clearly some ring rust on show, that hopefully will be cleared off by next Saturday.
Hopefully you'll join us to watch what will be a good test of where Carlisle are in their development for next season, against an Aspatria side who are competing well in that league.