KIRKBY'S promotion push is in full swing after a thumping victory at home to Carlisle that saw them move up to second in the table.

The Underley Park side went 3-0 up within a minute after inside centre Tom Pickthall banged a penalty between the posts.

Kirkby were dominant from the off and made the most of a sloppy Carlisle restart, controlling the penalty scrum before Harry Ralston went over.

The referee disallowed the try, adjudging Ralston to have stepped into touch, but it made no difference as Kirkby stole the line out ball and flanker Stuart Storey continued his excellent form as he powered over the line for the first try of the afternoon to make it 8-0.

It was one-way traffic as Kirkby’s left wing David Bird caught a Carlisle clearance kick inside his own half and hit the gas, prompting a looping run which took him up to the opposition five metre line.

He was held but Kirkby did not handle this particular breakdown well and Carlisle cleared to touch.

It was still a good attacking position but the Kirkby lineout throw was not straight and the visitors were able to clear the danger - but not for long.

Bird again had the ball inside the Carlisle twenty two with two Kirkby men outside him.

The Carlisle defence could not ignore them and he used that uncertainty as a distraction before picking a beautiful line to run the ball home.

Again there was no conversion but the lead had edged out 13 – 0 after twenty five minutes.

Another advantage came Kirkby’s way when the opposition number four Paul Halliday came in at the side of a ruck and this, along with a few earlier indiscretions, earned him a yellow card.

Kirkby put the penalty into touch around ten metres from the line, caught their throw and drove over for Lwazi Ngcungama to touch down try number three in the corner.

It was one of those days when Pickthall could not buy a conversion and again his well-struck kick slid by the post by a matter of centimetres.

There were not many minutes on the second half clock when Kirkby number thirteen Ralston took a pass on half way and ran, avoiding several tackled en route to scoring his side's bonus point fourth try.

Again the conversion sailed wide, keeping the score at 23-0.

Carlisle finally got on the board after fifteen minutes of the half when they battled over from close range but couldn’t convert to make it 23 – 5.

However, this try seemed to put some fire into their play and they closed the gap with another unconverted try not long after.

As the game went into injury time, Kirkby stand-off Barton did have the last say with the fifth try following a powerful run by him down the right touchline to score in the corner and this time Pickthall returned to form with a magnificent conversion from wide out to make the final score 30 – 10.

Kirkby face Penrith next week in what will be a testing fixture as they look to remain above Kendal in the table.