The Bleach Green pitch was in superb shape due to the hard work of the ground committee for Egremont’s Cumbria League clash with St Benedict’s Ravens.

The underfoot conditions allowed the players to produce some good quality rugby but it was Egremont who showed-up best to win 52-12.

Home number eight and captain Jimmy Temple crossed for two tries from five-metre scrums within the opening ten minutes.

Centre Josh Graves powered over for Egremont’s third try shortly afterwards and, despite Graves having an off day with the boot, the outcome was already beginning to look comfortable for the home side.

Inevitably, St Benedicts had other ideas and, from their first period of prolonged possession deep in the Egremont 22, they were rewarded with a penalty try to close the gap.

Both teams traded a further try apiece before half-time, leaving the score 20-12 at the break.

Following the interval, a lengthy period of scrappy rugby ensued as cold hands resulted in a very stop-start passage of play.

With neither side seeming able to get a grip on the proceedings, it was going to need a spark of inspiration to fire up the players and long-suffering spectators and, sure enough, this was provided by flanker Graham Temple.

He broke free on half-way to score a superb individual effort.

Egremont’s sharp and astute scrum-half Jack Thompson was the next to strike from long distance with a well-taken sniping try from the blind side of a ruck.

Lock Daniel Caine scored Egremont’s third long-range solo try in succession as he outstripped the tiring visitors’ defence to clinch a man-of-the-match performance.

Two further converted tries in the last few minutes of the game put a gloss on the final score which may have been a little harsh on a St Benedicts side which remained competitive throughout.

Cockermouth, the league’s early leaders, have hit a dip in form and went down again, losing 23-5 at Furness.

But the new pace-makers Keswick maintained their unbeaten run with a 32-14 home win over Carlisle Crusaders.

In the other league game, Millom beat Windermere 27-15.