If ever there was a time for Carlisle Rugby Club to show their credentials and true potential, it was in last week’s North One West Match of the Day against Stockport.

A 52-7 scoreline is not really expected in a top versus second clash, but that’s exactly what Carlisle did to a shell-shocked Stockport side.

Stockport were quick to point out that injuries and suspensions had meant them travelling with a weakened side, and because of yellow cards, played nearly 30 minutes with 14 men.

But they also sportingly acknowledged Carlisle had been much superior and looked an outstanding side with powerful forwards and pacy backs.

The stats tell part of the story with seven tries for Carlisle against just one for the visitors who dropped to fourth in the table as a result.

Displaying the skill-set and intensity that has been promised from day one of the season, the Warwick Road side never looked like losing control of what was a must-win match.

As if to emphasise the importance of the game, player-coach Matt Shields showed even more determination than usual to get over for the first try after eight minutes.

Stockport had been fairly competitive in the first half which closed with Carlisle enjoying a 17-0 lead.

Skipper Henry Wainwright scored the second try and Grant Connon converted both, also adding a penalty.

Connon was an influential figure throughout with some excellent tactical kicking and he also scored the final try of the game.

In between, there were tries for Ben Purdham, James Telford, Wainwright and Andy Glendinning.

There’s a trip to Birkenhead Park for the city side tomorrow to take on a side who are sixth in the table, 10 points behind them.

They have won six of their 10 games so far but last Saturday were humbled 52-5 at Broughton Park who are fourth-bottom, only a point clear of the drop zone.

Just a point ahead of Birkenhead Park in fifth place are Penrith who scrambled home 22-20 in a tense home clash with Warrington last week.

They are nine points behind Carlisle but are on a winning run which now stretches back four games.

That fourth win over Warrington needed an extra conversion from Nathan Wooff to divide the two sides as they both scored three tries, a conversion and a penalty.

The game throughout was even with the lead changing hands on two occasions and never more than a few points in it.

The home side retook the lead with quarter-of-an-hour to go but they were hanging on grimly at the end and were more than pleased to hear the final whistle.

It had been a real battle in every sense of the word.

Penrith had led 14-10 at half-time with tries from Jay Rossi and Ryan Lee, both converted by Wooff.

The winning try was scored by Tom Lindsay after Wooff’s penalty had brought Penrith level.

Tomorrow, Penrith visit Northwich, who can be difficult opponents on their home patch, sitting two places behind the Cumbrians but only a point in arrears.

They will go into the game in good heart after a 51-17 win at the bottom side De La Salle of Salford.

In the Cumbria League, Keswick extended their lead at the top when their nearest rivals, Aspatria, lost at St Benedicts and third-placed Wigton were undone at home by Cockermouth.

Keswick were comfortable 35-5 winners over a young but gritty Upper Eden side at Davidson Park and now lead the table by seven points.

It was only 8-5 at the break with Aaron Thompson (Keswick) and James Birkbeck (Upper Eden) scoring tries and Andy Muir’s penalty edging the hosts ahead.

But, eventually, Keswick were able to assert themselves and pull clear with Ryan Weir cutting loose.

Top-scorer from last season, Weir helped himself to four tries after James Benson had broken the second-half deadlock.

Tomorrow, Keswick have a break from league rugby when they host Whitehaven in the cup.

Aspatria became the second team, after Keswick, to come unstuck at St Benedict’s when they lost 22-17.

Those are two good scalps for Benny’s – beating the top two sides in the league – yet they remain outside the top-four.

Phil Dixon and Greg Dickinson scored the tries for Aspatria who were 15-3 down at the break.

The Black Reds don’t have a game tomorrow and will resume at home to Whitehaven.

Wigton went down 13-12 at home to a much-improved Cockermouth side who have made an encouraging start to the season and are now level on points with the Greens.