Kirkby Lonsdale 17 - 0 Carlisle

A STUNNING all-round performance saw Kirkby Lonsdale bounce back from last week's derby day disappointment to secure victory over Carlisle at Underley Park.

Kirkby were without Tim Groves and Dan Armistead as Jonas Thorsen, Pablo Kwiczor and Ryan Holmes made up the front row while Canadian Chad Spence made his debut at full back.

It was a bitterly cold afternoon but Kirkby warmed the cockles of the supporter's hearts with a solid display in attack and defence which saw Carlisle fail to score for the first time this season.

Kirkby started the match attacking the clubhouse end with stand off Dave Barton putting in an awkwardly bouncing grubber kick which Carlisle knocked on.

With possession on the visitor's twenty two, Kirkby launched a number of attacks without success, the closest being held up over the line in the right corner, as Carlisle managed to disrupt the five metre scrum and were able to clear their lines.

Carlisle then missed a penalty kick at goal and Kirkby hit back when wing David Bird went close to scoring after chasing his own kick through but was beaten by the bounce as the ball went dead.

The deadlock wasn’t broken until the thirty eight minute mark when Barton opportunistically got a foot to a loose ball around thirty metres from the Carlisle line before maintaining his cool to cross the line.

Ben Walker added the conversion for a half time score of 7-0.

David Cooper-Dunne replaced Callum Little at six for the second half as the match resumed it’s balanced proportion with Kirkby just having the edge all over the field, defending hard when they had to and attacking with pace and power when those opportunities came.

But, as in the first half, scores were hard to find and as the match went into the last quarter Kirkby still held a slender lead.

Carlisle had a big opportunity to level matters when they had a five metre scrum but they couldn’t get the drive going and when they moved the ball down the line Kirkby were able to spoil and clear.

With ten minutes to play the score hadn’t changed but an opportunity came Kirkby’s way with a penalty which Walker coolly kicked to give the home side a crucial two score margin at 10-0.

In the deepening gloom Carlisle’s fate was sealed as the Kirkby forwards hammered at the line.

The ball was on the visitors side but as their scrum half Matty Roper picked it up he was on the end of a crunching tackle from Kirkby number seven Stuart Storey which dislodged it.

Number eight Craig Galbraith reacted quickest to gather and score between the posts.

Walker added the conversion to take the final score to 17- 0.

The win maintained Kirkby’s second place league position, one point behind leaders Birkenhead Park and one ahead of Kendal.

Team

Jonas Thorsen

Pablo Kwiczor

Ryan Holmes

Matt Hughes

Nick Edney

Callum Little

Stuart Storey

Craig Galbraith

Ben Walker

Dave Barton

David Bird

Jack Akrigg

Tom Pickthall

Josh Maddock

Chad Spence

Bench

David Cooper-Dunne

Chris Hewitt

John Ladell