It's a big day for Hensingham tomorrow when they make their bow in the National Conference Third Division.

Elected at the Conference AGM, the Copeland side have to start away to Woolston Rovers, one of the fallen giants of the game.

Assistant coach Graham Broatch said: “There’s a real air of excitement and there’s been a buzz around the club since the NCL announcement but also a healthy nervousness of what’s to come.

“Every team we visit or host this season, for the first half anyway, is brand new but that’s also extremely exciting.

“The lads have been raring to go since we started back training and we had a good hit-out against NCL Premier’s Egremont Rangers last week.

“They gave us a good appreciation of what we are to expect as we move forward into the season.

“The discipline, structure and speed of play was a real step up to what we have been used too.

“We’ve got a good squad together for this weekend’s game and we just hope we can contain the lads until kick-off.”

There’s also action for both Glasson Rangers and Kells in the second round of the BARLA National Cup.

Glasson produced the performance of the round on Saturday when they beat National Conference Division Three side Drighlington 28-12.

It’s good to see, too, from a good little club which has played in the shadow of both Maryport and Ellenborough at various points in their history.

In fact, they have drawn Skirlaugh, who in their best years, were major national rivals to Ellenborough when they were in their pomp.

A home tie tomorrow should pull in a decent crowd for Glasson and they will be looking to continue their giant-killing against the Humbersiders.

Skirlaugh didn’t set the world alight last season in NCL Division One, clear of relegation but never threatening a play-off place.

They started the season well, winning four of their first six games, but a major dip mid-season saw a losing run of five defeats which meant they wouldn’t have a major say.

Former Hull FC man Reece Dean was prominent with 19 goals, added to his 10 tries.

Carl Puckering scored 138 points and they were certainly helped by signing prolific try-scorer Nathan Slater, from Myton Warriors, and who weighed in with 12 tries from just nine appearances.

Kells A made the second round without breaking sweat as scheduled first-round opponents Bentley pulled out and conceded the game. It means a trip to Upton, near Pontefract, for the Copeland side who will be aware that their hosts beat Cockermouth Titans in the previous round.

The Iggesund Cumberland ARL kicks-off on March 2 and there are three friendlies arranged for tomorrow – Distington v Lowca; Maryport v Cockermouth; Seaton v Aspatria.

It then gets serious with the opening games of the new season, in which, 14 clubs will play each other once in one league.

After that first phase, there will be a split into two seven-team leagues who will then play home and away fixtures.

There are, however, only four opening games on March 2: Ellenborough v Hensingham A; Maryport v Aspatria; Distington v Egremont A; Lowca v Wath Brow A.