Two of West Cumbria’s newest club coaches must be exasperated by the shutdown of amateur rugby league in the country.

Gary Hewer (Egremont) and Stephen Kirkbride (Kells) had just settled into their jobs and seen their charges in action twice.

Kells opened the season with an excellent home win over Leigh Miners Rangers before losing on Saturday at Wigan St Patrick’s.

Egremont started with a loss at Underbank Rangers before just missing out at Lock Lane, denied their first victory by a match-winning kick from a teenager right at the death.

Both Hewer and Kirkbride might have to wait some time to see their charges in action again following the suspension of the season because of the coronavirus.

With only two games played, and an uncertainty of when the programme can resume, it will be difficult to gauge how long a season will be left.

The same applies to Ian Rooney, of course, and his Wath Brow side who got off the mark with a good win at Underbank.

Hornets finished the regular season as Premier Division leaders, and although beaten at home by Hunslet Club Parkside in their first fixture, were back on song in Huddersfield.

Hensingham were close to their first win in Division Three but, like Egremont, were pegged back late on and had to settle for a draw against Millom.

The point gained followed two fairly close defeats as they have been involved in three good games to launch the season.

Whether, like the others, they will get the chance to follow up is very much down to how we cope with the virus.

Fans everywhere are being denied a regular fix of sport, but its pretty clear that we are going to have to do, for a while, without the little things which give us so much pleasure.