The Rain Dampens Morpeth's Fire As They Go Under To Carlisle

Morpeth faced a difficult journey down to Cumbria to face league leaders Carlisle. This was made no easier by ever present rain, which made quick passing and using the backs a very tricky business.

Morpeth were quickly put on the back foot by the larger and more physical Cumbrians, as they turned over possession straight from the kick off and mounted their first attack of the game. As the home forwards sucked more and more of Morpeth's forwards into the ruck.

This left Morpeth with a number deficit on the blindside, which the quick thinking Carlisle backs soon exploited and scored with the winger in the corner to make the score 5-0 after only the first play of the game. However the Cumbrian kicker missed the conversion and the score stayed 5-0.

Morpeth refused to let their heads drop and attacked the Carlisle line with a combination of strength and good decision making. They were soon rewarded when Carlisle indiscipline, a theme which would become stronger as the match went on, rewarded the Northumbrians with a penalty, which fly half James McNeil slotted over the posts to give Morpeth their first points and make the score 5-3.

All Morpeth needed to do was consolidate this and keep a hold of possession, however this was not to be Carlisle once again demonstrated their superior size and ability by turning over Morpeth ball almost at will, and they soon found the fruits on their labour in a well worked move, which once again saw a score in the corner. Sticking to the tradition of this game, the Carlisle kicker missed to make the score 10-3.

Further Carlisle indiscipline should have given Morpeth a back door into which they could start making life uncomfortable for the league leaders, however a very moist and muddy surface meant that kicking conditions were far from ideal. A fact which was proven when McNeil missed a further two penalty attempts.

The half was not over yet, as Carlisle still kept on attacking, and once again they were rewarded with a try. However a missed conversion meant that Carlisle only extended the score to 15-3. 

The second half started with Morpeth knowing they had to find a way to get back into  the game.

The Carlisle indiscipline continued to undermine their efforts, and on a different day they might have been made to pay the price. But it was not to be a McNeil missed a further penalty goal attempt.

The second half was largely uneventful as both teams struggled to break each other down, the only happenings of note were the break down of discipline on the Carlisle side as two of their forwards got yellow carded for persistent infringements.

Morpeth's best opportunity came when the opposition had reduced numbers on the pitch, as open side flanker Paddy Murphy collected a short pop from the inside centre and cut a devastating line through the Cumbrian back line, but, to the dismay of Morpeth, play was stopped as the pop inside was judged to have been forward.

The game continued without much further excitement, and when the referee blew the final whistle the score remained 15-3. It was a game in which Carlisle deserved to win.