Penrith Rugby Club will be wary of tomorrow’s visitors West Hartlepool as they continue their North One East programme.

Relegation candidates West Hartlepool did their cause a power of good when they beat leaders Morpeth 23-13.

That, with Penrith’s 36-29 win at Northern, meant the Cumbrians moved to within six points of new leaders Driffield, with a game in hand.

West Hartlepool are just two points above the drop zone and nearest rivals Percy Park have a game in hand.

It’s still much too close to call at the top of the table, where Driffield have 55 points from 15 games.

They are followed by Morpeth 15, 52; Alnwick 13, 49; Penrith 14, 49; Bridlington 16, 47; West Leeds 15, 46.

Clearly, the big game tomorrow is Driffield v Alnwick, but there will be regular contests involving teams in the top six between now and the end of the season.

Penrith’s clash with bottom side Northern was too close for comfort and was a strange game with play swinging one way and then the other.

Ten tries were scored with seven of them into the brisk wind. Penrith had broken their run of four away defeats but they will have to improve on this if they are to progress.

The Penrith touchdowns came from Dan Richardson, George Graham, Will Morgan, Brad Taylor and Dan Morgan. The kicking of Graham was crucial as he put over a penalty and four conversions.

In North One West, Carlisle suffered another defeat, but the 52-10 loss at Vale of Lune was not as bad as it sounded.

With just over half-an-hour gone, and six converted tries in the bag for Vale, Carlisle were looking at their biggest defeat of the season unfolding in front of them.

A couple of seasons ago, calculators might have been needed by the end of the match, but this current squad simply don’t give up.

Whether Vale just took the foot of the gas, which was unlikely given their mindset, or Carlisle just stuck at it and found a way to get back into the game, the second half was a different story.

Head coach David Stout said: “Despite the disappointing scoreline, there were some encouraging signs, not least almost drawing the second half and showing an excellent resilience against a very good Vale side.

“Their accuracy, confidence and organisation were a credit to them.

"If we maintain the levels set during the second half going forward, we will be fine. This Saturday’s game is now a vital one given our respective league positions and one that we really need to win.”

That match is a home fixture with Rochdale, who are next to bottom but only nine points adrift of Carlisle, and with two games in hand.

A win at Warwick Road tomorrow is vital but Rochdale do travel north after a morale-boosting 37-28 win over Manschester, one of the two teams between them and Carlisle.

If Carlisle can take their second-half effort in Lancaster into the remaining games, they should finish the season well. Jack Freshwater and Tom Graham scored the tries.

In North Lancs/Cumbria, the two leading sides face tricky away fixtures tomorrow which will test their resolve.

Leaders Aspatria go to Salford to take on traditionally difficult hosts, De La Salle, while Keswick make the trip to Droylsden where they take on Aldwinians, the only side to win at Davidson Park this season.

Both, though, had good wins at the weekend with injury-hit Aspatria doing well to see off Tarleton, who went into the game in second place.

It finished 45-34 to Aspatria (Pumas for the day and not Black Reds) and, as the score suggests, was a thoroughly entertaining match of the day.

Tarleton had led 17-15 at half-time, with Aspatria feeling fortunate to escape with a two-point deficit. But it was the home side who roared ahead in the second half before a late Tarleton rally.

The Aspatria tries came from Heinie Jonker, Matthew Atkinson (2), James Ravell, Patrick Noutch and Josh Watson.

Keswick moved back second in the table after recording a 41-7 home win over Hawcoat Park. They had led 17-7 at half-time with tries from Andy Wallace (2) and Jamie McKenzie.

They pulled clear in the second period with further tries from David Ray, Matty Roper, Aaron Thompson and Ryan Weir.

Keswick will be wary of what they face tomorrow, but keen to make amends for the 27-18 defeat they suffered to Aldwinians at Davidson Park. They had a good 9-6 win at Fleetwood last week.

Wigton were never in danger of failing to record another home win against bottom club Littleborough as they were successful 46-8.

It was not, however, a performance of the highest intensity with several try scoring chances not taken and the defence being a little generous at times.

They have a good chance to follow up tomorrow at Hawcoat Park who are third bottom only three points better off than Littleborough. They were well beaten at Keswick last week.

Wigton had the game won by half-time last week when they led Littleborough 26-8.

The tries came from Elliot Armstrong, Ollie Lewis (2), Greg Wrathall, Stuart Creighton and Richard Moffatt. They were also awarded a penalty try.

In the Cumbria League, Silloth were 31-16 winners at Carlisle Crusaders and they could have discovered a star of the future at Carlisle Crusaders.

Footballer Reece Blake, who plays for Workington Reds reserves, led the way with a hat-trick of tries and a performance which suggested he’s got potential with the oval ball.

Ricky Sutcliffe and Ryan Morris also scored tries for Silloth with Sutcliffe landing three conversions.

Upper Eden were 40-13 winners at Workington.