Last updated 19:47, Thursday, 11 September 2008

WORKINGTON Zebras have had a major setback on the eve of the new season.

Coach Ross Mills, who was appointed during the summer, has taken on a new job which will mean him being out of the country until December.

Mills, a former West Hartlepool forward who had represented the British Army, had created a big impression at the Ellis Sports Ground with his coaching techniques.

Team manager Kevin O’Neil said: “It was a bombshell because things had been going so well. We want him to continue when he gets back in four months time and will organise the coaching among ourselves.

“Ross has set everything up and people like Donald Lines, John Dryden and myself will be putting it into practice. Ryan Whelan, who teaches in the town, has joined us and has been helping out with the coaching. He had experience coaching under Russell Gainford at St Benedict’s.

“We have lost Ben Lanighan to Penrith but Ross Dougherty has returned from Aspatria, and otherwise we mainly have the group of players who did so well last season under Keith Branthwaite, the previous coach.”

Workington start in North Lancs Cumbria at Tyldesley and are expecting a tough challenge against a side who have strengthened during the summer.

Wigton are also on the road, but to Oldham, in the same league. They did the double over the Lancashire club last season and look to be in good shape this time round.

Full-back Andrew Logue and winger Chris Pattinson, who have joined from Wigton rugby league club, are set for their debuts. A third ex-Wigton RL player, Steve Carruthers, has made the switch before and will operate at hooker.

Flanker Andy Brown, who was playing at Harpenden last season, is now living in the area and has re-joined the club he used to play for as a junior.

Coach Malcolm Brown is looking forward to the challenge again and is delighted to have county forward Robert Marrs back in the side.

Brown said: “He missed all the pre-season through work commitments but he’s available again and will obviously be a key member of the pack.

“Our captain Greg Morton had laser surgery on a rather rare ankle cartilage problem and that appears to have been a success so he can hopefully resume playing again at the end of the month.”

Keswick, newly promoted from the Cumbria League, start life in North Lancs Cumbria with a trip to Aldwinians, who have been something of a yo-yo side in recent years – currently regrouping after relegation last season from North Two East.

Aspatria are the only Cumbrian side in North Two East who have to start on the road and they have a tough test at Driffield.

Prop Gary Harrison and lock Mark Cottam are both working so have to miss out while half-back Jason Spires is still not wanting to be considered for selection.

Prop Graeme Andrews is to captain the side this year but last year’s skipper Chris Tweddle has said he will test his problem shoulder in the game.

Richard Holliday, a product of amateur rugby league and a former Workington Town Academy player, will make his first senior start on the wing.

South African Jacques Rowe, a popular member of the squad in his first stint in Cumbria, is back and looking in good shape.

Chairman of rugby Mark Richardson said: “I think our back row of Mark Beverley, Gary Hodgson and Jacques Rowe has enormous potential if they all stay fit.

“Driffield away is a tough opening game of the season but I don’t think we’ve a bad squad at all to tackle this one.”

Netherhall have already got their season up and running with an excellent 5-0 win at Whitley Bay Rockcliffe last Saturday in the Senior Vase.

But because most of the other ties were postponed their opening Cumbria League game at Wigton Wanderers has been called off. The Wanderers are hosting Workington Steelers in the Senior Vase.

Liam Vickers scored the only try of the game at Rockcliffe as Netherhall produced a tenacious performance.

The Rockcliffe forwards were much bigger than the young Netherhall pack and battered them hard for most of the game but without getting across the line.

In the second half Netherhall were able to attack more, Craig Law having his best game and Daniel Fisher working hard.

Cockermouth’s Senior Vase tie at home to Ponteland was postponed and they will try again tomorrow.

They are: North Shields v Aspatria Eagles, Cockermouth v Ponteland, Creighton v Winlaton Vulcans, Leodiensian v Egremont, St Benedict’s v Yarnbury, Wigton Wanderers v Workington Steelers.