CARLISLE will enjoy their weekend break after a terrific away win last Saturday.

A 25-15 success at Manchester, coupled with Altrincham Kersal’s defeat at Burnage, lifted the Cumbrians out of the bottom three.

They had dropped into the relegation zone a week earlier, so it was a pressure game at Manchester who are not clear of the bottom three themselves.

The win does not clinch safety but it was vital in their efforts to survive in this ultra competitive North One West league.

Head coach David Stout said:” It was a very important, and deserved win and, hopefully, the start of a strong run in.

“There was a great reaction from the team who showed a real hunger despite being reduced to 13 men, when we dug in and saw it out.

“This will do our confidence a lot of good, putting us back in control of our destiny this season with every game left very winnable.”

Captain Tom Graham said: “If we had thrown that game away we wouldn’t deserve to stay up. It was a game which held a lot of importance for us.

“Defence was the key as there were some solid performances with our back three working very well.

“We will need to work hard over the next two weeks running up to Douglas at home, correct our wrongs and go for another win.”

After a three-week lay-off, Carlisle could have been excused for being a little ring rusty.

Clearly lessons had been learnt from the narrow losses of the previous three games. They stuck to their task, weathered the conditions, and didn’t panic when they went down early on, to build possession, territory and points, securing a much- needed win, and denying Manchester a losing bonus point.

Andy Glindinning, Chris Hubbersty and Dan Holmes scored the Carlisle tries. Max Connon converted two and kicked two penalties.

Crucially Carlisle are three points ahead of Altrincham with a game in hand. They also still have to meet at Warwick Road.

None of three clubs battling to avoid the last relegation place – Carlisle, Manchester or Altrincham Kersal.

Promotion is the buzz word, though, up the road at Penrith – and five of the six contenders are in action tomorrow in what should have been a free weekend.

Penrith lead the North One East table by a point from Alnwick – and the pair meet tomorrow in the north east.

Penrith beat West Leeds 29-9 on Saturday but the game was a lot harder than the scoreline suggests.

In the end, Penrith got the win they were looking for ahead of their trip to Alnwick when they will be trying to repeat the trick.

Their away form is much-improved but it will be no easy task as their hosts will be looking to leapfrog them to the top.

Penrith had been humbled at West Leeds earlier in the season when they were in a bad run of form, especially away from home which made them doubly keen to do well.

Their home form has been decent all season and was to prove to be again as they turned in an excellent battling performance against a West Leeds side sitting fifth in the table.

Young wingers Olly May and Brad Taylor scored first-half tries to help the Cumbrians into a 17-3 half-time lead.

When Ed Swale was yellow-carded at the start of the second-half, West Leeds cut the deficit to eight points with two more penalties.

Penrith rallied and Taylor scored his second while the crucial bonus point try came from May, also his second of the game and his fourth in two senior matches.

The North Lancs Cumbria League could produce a local one-two with Apatria, Wigton and Keswick all in contention.

All three have potential banana skins in Lancashire tomorrow against teams in the bottom half who can be dangerous at home.

Aspatria go to Droylsden to take on Aldwinians; Keswick visit the village side Tarleton while Wigton travel to Fleetwood.

Wigton beat Keswick 20-7 last week to move third in the table while second-placed Aspatria hammered the bottom side Burnley 60-10 at Bower Park.

At Lowmoor Road Wigton produced the necessary invention to put points on the board in the first half, coupled with disciplined defence in the second half to wrap up the win and maintain the league’s only unbeaten home record.

Tries by Ryan Clark and Dan Reed helped Wigton into a 17-0 half-time lead. Clark added a second half penalty while Keswick’s only response was a seven-point penalty try.

Aspatria scored ten tries as they added to Burnley’s woes to move to second in the league which continues to be headed by De La Salle.

The Salford club have a haul of 74 points from 21 games while Aspatria have 70 points but crucially two games in hand.

Below these two are four other clubs, still harbouring realistic title hopes and this group include Cumbrian sides Wigton and Keswick.

It was 31-10 at half-time with Aspatria’s tries coming from Lee Tinnion, Patrick Noutch, teenage hooker Adam Cavanagh, Matthew Atkinson and debutant winger Ben Robinson.

Five more tries followed in the second half from Liam Ridley, Ben Robinson, replacement Jack Robinson and the last two from Andrew Miller.

All three top sides in the League won on Saturday with Upper Eden scoring a 43-0 home win against Windermere; Whitehaven also keeping a clean sheet in a 22-0 win at Carlisle Crusaders while Cockermouth won well, 38-18 at fourth-placed Furness.

Workington avenged a heavy home defeat against Silloth when they won a tense return game 22-19.