Come and roar us into the final pleads Elbra chief
Last updated 11:45, Friday, 18 April 2008
AMATEUR RL fans from across West Cumbria are being urged to cheer Ellenborough in to the Champion of Champions final at the expense of Yorkshire Cup holders Queens at Solway Park tomorrow (2.30pm).
Victory for Ellenborough against the Leeds outfit in the semi will see them book a place in next month’s showpiece at Fylde, which is a curtain-raiser to Wath Brow’s National Cup final.
“I’d ask all ARL fans to come down and support us on Saturday, because we are representing Cumbria,” said Ellenborough chairman Wilson Smith. “I can assure them, the players won’t let them down. There should be a big gate.”
Ellenborough have been playing twice of week of late to clear their huge fixture backlog, though coach Gary Murdock has been able to rest a couple of his senior players.
Eddie Robinson and Paul McGee have been non-playing subs in different recent matches.
“It’s been hard work for us,” Smith added. “You can play one match too many, and hopefully that’s not on Saturday, because we really want to win this.”
Ellenborough are hot on the heels of Kells in the Cumberland League Division One title race, and if they are crowned champions, it will be down in large part to their astonishing defence.
“We have ‘nilled’ teams in nine matches this season, and two others have scored only one point,” Smith revealed. “It’s incredible and must be some sort of record.”
Ellenborough are charging £2 admission tomorrow, to help cover transport costs for Fylde, should they reach the final.
Second Division champs Cockermouth host Seaton in what should be a cracking E Lamb & Son Amateur Cup semi-final.
And Wigton go head-to-head with Lowca, with a place in the Division Two final on the line.
Wath Brow will leapfrog Bradford Dudley Hill in the race for promotion to the Conference Premier Division, if they can pull off a win in Yorkshire. Division Two Egremont host Milford Marlins.
