Rugby - Barton and Benson lead way for Kirkby (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Barton and Benson lead way for Kirkby

11:41am Saturday 25th October 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

Ashton-under-Lyne 10.

Kirkby Lonsdale 34.

ON A wet and windy day with four players rested for this EDF Energy Senior Vase match, Kirkby Lonsdale started by carrying the ball well, but after five minutes skipper Dowker had to leave the field with a knee problem to be replaced by Bainbridge.

It seemed to take some time for Kirkby to reorganise successfully. Once they did, a good passage of play led to Barton scoring in the corner but the conversion failed.

From the restart Kirkby drove back upfield and concerted pressure featuring good hands saw Hadwin put Benson in to score.

Once again the conversion failed, but Kirkby had a promising 10-0 platform on which to build.

Ashton responded with a period of pressure that led to an unconverted try from a rolling maul.

Kirkby soon regained the upper hand, however, and more good passing paved the way for Barton to go over for his second try, which Hadwin converted to give the visitors a 17-5 half-time lead.

From the restart Kirkby again applied the pressure, which inevitably brought another score, and it was Barton who crossed again for a hat-trick of tries, Hadwin tacking on the extras.

Ashton spent the next spell of the match in the Kirkby half as the visitors invited trouble with dropped passes.

The home side made it count when forcing their way over from the back of a rolling maul, though the conversion failed.

By this time Ashton were starting were starting to look a tired side and a good break by Pickthall for Kirkby saw him score wide out right.

A good conversion effort dropped just short.

Once again Kirkby applied the pressure with fast hands putting Benson over for his second unconverted try of the day.

As the weather deteriorated further in the last ten minutes, the last 10 minuets were littered with handling errors as the game petered out but with Kirkby already ensured of a comfortable win.

Kirkby Lonsdale earned a home third-round tie against Eccles, which is scheduled to to be played on the weekend of November 22.