For the second weekend in a row, a tasty Copeland derby dominates the amateur rugby league programme.

Wath Brow comfortably beat Egremont 25-0 at Gillfoot last week and the Hornets are involved again, this time with a home clash against Kells.

The two sides go into the game as joint-leaders of the National Conference Premier Division with Thatto Heath up there too as the third club with two wins from two games.

Kells take top spot on points differential, helped considerably by their outstanding 56-12 win at Leigh Miners Rangers on the opening day.

It promises to be a hard-fought, close contest and remember last season the two sides drew at Red Beck.

For Egremont, though, they have to start producing the form that got them a win at Wigan St Patrick’s in the Challenge Cup.

Two games have been lost, quite convincingly – to Wath Brow and 8-4 to Myton Warriors.

It’s not the start that new player-coach John Paul Brocklebank was expecting, although to be fair he has had to contend with some injury issues.

Tomorrow, they face a long trek to Humberside to take on a West Hull side.

West Hull ran Whitehaven close in the Challenge Cup and Wath Brow in the league, before beating Rochdale Mayfield 18-14 on Saturday.

Both BARLA Cumbria Cup semi-finals are being staged tomorrow and two west Cumbrian clubs will have to travel south.

Hensingham scored a famous golden point win over holders and Cumbria Men’s League champions Distington last weekend, but have to make the trip to Ulverston to try and earn their place in the final.

Glasson didn’t have to travel last week when scheduled hosts Roose Pioneers conceded the tie because they did not have enough players.

Not favoured by the draw, Glasson have to visit Walney who are likely to be the leading club from the south of the county now that Barrow Island have moved up to the Conference.

Sad news of the week concerned Maryport who have withdrawn from the Cumbria Men’s league after their plea for more players appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

A traditional home of rugby league, the game has been a part of the cultural heritage of the town of Maryport since the codes inception in 1898.

When the Northern Rugby Union first came to the County of Cumberland in June 1898, Maryport were one of the founder clubs along with Millom, Workington, Wath Brow and Brookland Rovers. Maryport were the first champions.

The name of Maryport and surrounding district has, down the years, spawned some of the greatest Rugby League talents ever to grace the game in either hemisphere.

The illustrious Jim Lomas, first captain of a British touring side to Australasia, the immortal Douglas Clarke and the great Joe Oliver, are just three who first saw light of day in Maryport and went on to scale the heights of the code.

The Maryport club have enjoyed some golden periods, including reaching the first round of the Rugby League Challenge Cup in 1937/38 season, losing out to the eventual finalists Barrow at Craven Park.

The present club to bear the town name was reformed in 1967 as Maryport British Legion Amateur Rugby League Club, as part of a deal that allowed the British Legion to build a Social Club on part of the Athletic Ground, Maryport.

Officials say the club has not folded, but will be regrouping and they hope to be back playing competitive rugby again next year.

One club who have just come back into the playing arena after resigning from the Iggesund Cumberland ARL are Cockermouth.

It’s a big day for them tomorrow when they host last season’s table-toppers Egremont Rangers in their first fixture.

Also playing tomorrow are Broughton Red Rose v Flimby and Kells v Lowca which has a 1pm kick-off.