RUGBY UNION By John Walsh

Last updated 09:21, Friday, 10 October 2008

CARLISLE make changes to their pack for the visit of Gateshead to Warwick Road tomorrow as they still search for the elusive first victory.

The city side went down 23-0 at Morpeth last week-end so still only have the point they picked-up in the last game at Warwick Road against Ilkley.

Martin McGimpsey returns after injury to the front row with Martin Burnett taking a seat as a replacement. Mark Barron returns after injury and displaces Aiden Day at lock who also moves to the bench.

Matt Charters has recovered from ankle injury and resumes in the back row to partner Bobby Sherlock and Lee Brumpton.

The backs are unchanged but Matt Rogers makes up the replacements.

In the North Two East clash at Morpeth the margin of victory might suggest dominance by the home side but that was far from the case.

Carlisle competed well in the opening period and gave as good as they got.

Missing some early penalty chances did not help the cause and, if they had been seized the game could have taken on a different complexion. Carlisle also had a try disallowed, not that there was anything wrong with it; simply that the referee was still on the 22 metre line, clearly unable to keep up the play and see what was actually happening. He chose to award a penalty instead!

Carlisle were 13-0 behind at the break and given their first half performance, hopes were high that their improving game would deliver some points return.

However, early in the second half, they were forced into making changes after some indiscreet use of the boot took its toll and several players took knocks.

If Carlisle are going to get any return from their endeavours, then there has to be more polish added to their handling game to enable them to retain more possession.

Carlisle’s second team, the Crusaders, who won at Morpeth last week in the Candy League have no game this week.

Penrith are expecting a tough trip, also in North Two East, when they travel to Sandal but will be determined to build on last week’s win.

In dreadful conditions they beat Pontefract 24-17 at Winters Park, holding-out some-what nervously for 11 minutes of stoppage time for a well-earned, workman like victory.

That the game was completed was a credit to both sides who ensured that rugby was the real winner on an atrocious day.

Although Pontefract were first to score with a converted try Penrith went into a 17-7 lead with tries from Gavin Young and James Stainton, both converted by Steven Wood who added a penalty.

Pontefract scored a second converted try right on half-time to keep it interesting but there was no further score until ten minutes from time when Toby Slack got over and Wood converted.

A late Pontefract penalty got them back to within a score but Penrith held on.

Of the Cumbrians have any aspirations of promotion they have to start winning away games, starting with Sandal but most teams in the top half of the league look strong at home.

Gavin Young is out with a neck injury so Paul Newton moves from scrum half to full back with the competitive Toby Slack coming off the bench to start at number nine. Teenage winger Kris Bratten comes onto the bench. He impressed with his pace in the trial game but picked up an injury and has been out of the equation since. The pack is unchanged with vice captain Mike Raine still out with a shoulder injury while Mike Stephens is on the bench after recovering from a neck injury.

Aspatria's game at winless Durham City was marred by incessant rain.

Neither team mastered poor conditions, resulting in a game littered with handling errors, although the Black Reds were able to return with the spoils from a 14-0 victory.

Chairman of rugby Mark Richardson said: “All I’m going to say is that a win is a win. We weren’t at our best and I’m hoping for a big improvement on Saturday.”

The Black Reds host Ilkley who picked-up a point a fortnight ago on their last visit to Cumbria at Carlisle.

“The club used to play Ilkley in the old days before the introduction of the League so we haven’t met for a while.

“But we are virtually back to full strength. Stephen Davidson is missing with a knee injury and Jason Spires has still only played one second team game, but otherwise everyone is available.

“Mark Bowe, Ian McDowell, Dan Rayson and Lee Tinnion who were all out last week are back ion contention,” said Richardson. In the game at Durham City there were no points in the first-half even though intense pressure on the home line should have resulted in an Aspatria try but poor handling let them down.

In the second-half two tries from stand-out forward Gary Hodgson won Aspatria the points with player coach Mike Scott adding the conversions.

In North Lancs Cumbria Wigton travel to Fleetwood bidding to build on their 20-5 victory over Burnley last week. Fleetwood were well beaten 46-12 at Workington.

Wigton coach Malcolm Brown said: “We did the double over Fleetwood last year but I’m expecting them to be fired-up after their heavy defeat last week.”

In the backs Tom Gardner and David Warwick are unable to travel so Greg Tickle will come in for his League debut and Mark Thompson makes his seasonal debut.

Dave Waning, Shaun Clorley and Stuart Creighton are all missing in the pack so Mark Grainger and Sean Stephens are ready to step in.

Tactical changes ahead of the Burnley game paid off with David Hanabury, switched to full-back, picking-up the man of the match award from the sponsors just ahead of back row forward Creighton.

Richard Moffat was moved inside to play centre while David Warwick was switched to fly-half.

Gardner and Matthew Atkinson scored first-half tries for Wigton with Andrew Logue landing a penalty.

The third try came on the hour when Gardner raced 60 metres for his second try which Logue converted.

The only downside for coach Brown and assistant Nigel Beaty was the fact they gave away a try late on while they were down to 14 men.

Keswick and Heaton Moor fought out a 6-6 draw in atrocious conditions - with the strong wind really benefiting neither side.

Tomorrow Keswick travel to Oldham and are forced into making four changes because of unavailabilities.

Joe Roper, Mark Ireland, Matthew Roper and Lance Lake all moss-out so Johnny Hume, John Helme, Viv Wilmot and Phil Smith plug the gaps.

Creighton’s Cumbria League game at Netherhall last week was postponed and they resume tomorrow at home to Millom.

Aspatria Eagles host Moresby and Wigton Wanderers are at home to Gosforth Greengarth.