Champions Distington started the new Iggesund Cumberland League with a 24-16 win at Ellenborough.

The difference was in the first half when Distington established a 12-4 lead by the break.

It was desperately tight in the second half, with the teams scoring 12 points apiece, but the champions had done enough.

Jordan Ostle, John Todd and Owen Hoyles scored tries for Ellenborough, while Jason Graham was their man of the match.

Ostle was also successful with two conversions for the home side.

The Distington tries came from Steve Conway, Gavin Martin, Scott Rooke and Troy Armstrong. Clayton Sutton kicked four goals with Dan Park named man of the match.

Seaton also got off on the right foot with a 28-12 home win against Kells A.

The bulk of the work was done in the first-half as they built an 18-6 lead.

The Seaton tries were scored by Matt Dixon (2), Lewis Mason, Levi Wallbanks and man of the match Jordan Pritt.

Nick Burgess put over four conversions for Seaton.

Try scorers for Kells A were Owen Martin and Dominic Weir with two conversions from Cameron Taylor. Man of the Match was James Ennis.

In the other Premier Division game Glasson Rangers had a potentially tricky opener at newcomers Walney but they came through it well with a 38-16 victory.

Leading 24-12 at half-time they built on that with tries from Sean Mumberson, Josh Ackerley, Matthew Burns, Dan Fryer, man of the match Gary Tierney and Joe Kirkup.

There were seven conversions by Keenan Winter.

The Walney tries were scored by Declan Gavin, Jordan Stafferi and Dave Nicholson.

There were also two goals by their man of the match Nicholson.

In a tight game at Aspatria, visitors Maryport came from behind to win 20-14.

They had trailed 6-0 at the break but fought back with tries from Darren Pape, Connor Wilson and Josh Pattinson.

Craig Foster kicked four goals and Ethan Williams was man of the match.

Aspatria scored tries through Ben Ridley, Luke Day and Luke Crossman with one conversion from Luke Johnson.

Richard Stamper was awarded their man of the match honour.

Lowca got their season underway with an away win, 38-14 at Hensingham A, after kicking clear in the first-half.

It was a much tighter affair in the second half ,with the points shared, but the 28-4 interval lead built up by Lowca proved decisive enough for them to secure the points.

Hensingham scored tries through their man of the match Matthew Williams, Owen Street and Dave Richardson. There was one conversion from Richardson.

Lowca scored tries through Paul McNally (2), Matt Farrer, Jacob Johnson, Ellis Scott, James McNally and Sean Gill. Keith Campbell kicked five goals and Emmerson Allen was their man of the match.

Egremont A opened with a comfortable 38-0 home win over Ellenborough A although the visitors made a fight of it in the first half when they only trailed 10-0 at the break.

Mike Foster (2), Jack Murray (2), Dan Telford (2), Thomas Carruthers and Kevin Brown scored the tries and Foster kicked three goals.

Jamie Forrester was the Egremont man of the match with Barry Devlin picking-up the award for Elbra.

n West Cumbria’s two National Conference Premier Division sides suffered defeats on the opening day of the season.

Wath Brow, who finished as table toppers last year, were beaten 14-6 at home by the 2018 double champions Hunslet Club Parkside.

Egremont travelled to Rochdale Mayfield and were beaten 30-10 after being right in the contest at half-time when they only trailed 12-6.

In Division Three Hensingham suffered another narrow defeat, this time only by two points at Drighlington where they lost 24-22.