Last updated at 12:24, Tuesday, 09 March 2010

Leaders Wigton disposed of bottom team Burnley comfortably 62-0 at Lowmoor Road, scoring ten tries.

They are now set up for the run-in of six away matches, when three wins and a draw will give them the championship.

Burnley put up a stern resistance for the first ten minutes until a fine break by centre Tom Gardner led to a Burnley scrum five metres out. Stephen Carruthers took the ball against the head and several strong mauls later Andrew Bell powered over for the opening try, superbly converted by Tane Manihera.

Strong-running by the Wigton forwards was giving fly half David Hanabury great ball and he used his backs well, in particular Gardner. His breaks and good support play led to two tries in two minutes for full back David Warwick, both converted by Manihera for a 21-0 lead.

Gardner was next to score when he hit a good line to burst the defence and step the full back.

Try number five came from another scrum play with Hanabury taking a flat Manihera pass at pace. It was too much for the shell-shocked Burnley defence and he jinked his way over.

The fist half scoring was complete with wing Callum Studholme making good ground up the left for the ball to be spread right through a long Manihera pass. Second row man Sean Stephens drew the last man well to give wing Andrew Logue a walk in, again converted by Manihera for a 40-0 half time lead.

Burnley never gave up. But more tries were bound to come and back row Robert Marrs set the ball rolling. Good of-loading and handling with skipper Matthew Atkinson, centre Chris Pattinson and Studholme involved gave Marrs a one on one and he powered straight over the last defender.

The next try came from several phases before a well-timed pass from Pattinson gave Logue his second try.

A line out drive led to Stephens diving over for a well earned individual try converted by Manihera.

The tenth and final try came from good team inter-play as replacement full-back Greg Smith came into the line to give Studholme the opportunity to step the last man and go for the corner.

In a desperately close affair at Furness, visitors St. Benedict’s were denied victory by a late converted try to the home side who took the spoils 19-17.

Furness had opened the scoring after 15 minutes with unconverted try.

Benny’s first try came as Lee Wood went through a couple of defenders. From there the ball went quickly via stand off Bainbridge to Kyle Hiddleston, who threw a 20 yard pass to flying winger Steve Nelson. He danced passed a Furness defender before an inside pass sent flanker Kevin Parr over.

All square at 5-5 at half-time.

Eventually Benny’s second try came from stand-in hooker Jardine. Scrum half Kristian wood spotted a gap and he gave Jardine the perfect pass to score. Wood landed the conversion.

With 15 minutes left Furness got back into it when they raced the full length to score a try and go level

From the re-start Lee Wood was the first there to win the ball back. Benny’s won the scrum and Wilson broke to feed Kristian Wood who in turn quickly slipped a pass to winger Phil Casson to score an unconverted try.

Deep into the last five minutes Furness were able to gather and from deep in their own territory to score the try which put them level and Darren Holt’s conversion won the game.

Workington got back to winning ways, 18-13 at Fleetwood.

A series of drives led to a penalty and Kevin Harper converted after six minutes.

A good blind side break by Andrew Branthwaite led to the second penalty. Harper again converted.

With Fleetwood desperately defending, scrum half Branthwaite switched play and there was room for Harper to score in the corner.

The Zebras lost back row forward David Bowe and he was replaced by Chris Herbert.

A mistake at a line out left prop Steve Buzza a clear run to the line.

Shortly before half time fullback Ross Atherton made a try-saving tackle to enable the Zebras to lead 11-5 at the break.

The Zebras were first again to score in the second half when Bowman drove over near to the postst. Harper converted and at 18-5.

 At 18-10 Fleetwood upped their game. Evans converted a late penalty, but the Zebras were back on top at the end.

 Keswick were convincing 44-14 winners at home to Aldwinians.

 Netherhall travelled to Eccles but with only thirteen men. The game was logged as a 0-0 walk over for Eccles although it did finish 55-6.

First published at 11:30, Tuesday, 09 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk