Carlisle are now officially relegated from North One West after losing 14-10 at Wigton against fellow strugglers Leigh.

They had gone into the game needing to beat Leigh and deny them any losing bonus points for any chance of staying in the division.

Carlisle had most of the possession and continuously tested the Leigh defence, but the visitors proved very difficult to break down. Although the Carlisle pack had the upper hand, they were unable to convert the dominance into points.

It was the visitors who got points on the board after 15 minutes, much against the run of play.

The referee adjudged a kick through to the Carlisle dead ball area was touched by another Carlisle player before full-back Andy Glendinning grounded it.

From the resulting five metre scrum, the visitors scored to the right of the posts and added the conversion.

It was only at the very end of the first half that they got any reward when fly half Jason Israel slotted a penalty.

The second half started much brighter for Carlisle as they pushed forward. Two minutes in, a Carlisle scrum in the Leigh 22 was driven forward to the posts. Although number eight James Addyman was just held up as he tried to dive over, the ball was recycled wide and centre Dan Holmes powered over the line to secure Carlisle’s only try of the game, converted by Israel.

Carlisle only held the lead for five minutes though as Leigh pressed forward.

The visitors kept plugging away at the Carlisle try line and when the Carlisle defence was sucked into a ruck, the Leigh winger nipped in at the corner to score their crucial second try, converted from the touchline.

Although there was no lack of endeavour by the home side, they just couldn’t find that crucial gap in the dogged Leigh defence.

  • At the other end of the table Penrith moved back to fourth after a comprehensive 45-7 home win over Blackburn.

They started briskly and after Harlan Corrie was brought down just short, the supporting forwards hit the ruck and Tama Toomata powered over from short range. Matt Allinson converted.

The second try came after ten minutes when Toomata again picked and went before putting supporting centre James Boustead in for a simple try.

Approaching the half hour the home side scored a third try from an attacking line-out. This time the forwards drove the ensuing maul before releasing the backs and Kris Bratton was unstoppable. Allinson converted.

Penrith scored a fourth try before the break and young scrum half debutant Alex Pantechis played his part breaking from a ruck just outside the 22. Captain Toomata drove over in the corner.

Leading 26-0 at the break the avalanche of points did not come as Penrith played very little rugby in the third quarter as the game stagnated but they did put on a bit of a show in the final quarter. Replacement Jamie McNaughton put in a cross field kick for Ryan Egerton to collect and score;

Allinson unselfishly set up Dowson for a simple run in and from the final play of the game Allinson scored his first senior try since moving from Upper Eden.

  • Egremont are in pole position to grab the promotion play-off place in the Cumbria League. They beat Millom 30-22 to move a clear second behind Workington, whose game with Carlisle Crusaders was postponed.

The Zebras have a game in hand of their west Cumbrian rivals and although level on points would have been strong favourites to beat the Crusaders in the game that was called-off.

Keswick do have a game in hand of Egremont but are seven points behind their rivals.

The only other game on Saturday saw Moresby beat Furness 25-12.