WINDERMERE went down 35-9 to Ashton-under-Lyne after the most promising of starts.
Fielding a team littered with players out of position, the visitors dominated and the referee seemed determined to penalise at every opportunity.
Three penalties, all kicked flawlessly by Jim Crawford, were the reward for Ashton constantly infringing at the ruck.
Thereafter, the official lost interest in this area of the game. And with increasing possession, gained by fair means or foul, Ashton came back into contention.
Ashton forwards' greater weight was used to advantage on a deteriorating surface.
A home try came on 15 minutes after neat inter-play between lock and hooker as defenders floundered in the mud.
A second try arrived five minutes later as two defenders fell before they could reach the ball carrier.
Ashton added a third on the stroke of half time as Wharton was illegally prevented from jumping in a defensive lineout and an Ashton second-row retrieved the loose ball to score and make the half-time score 21-9.
The depressing reversal of fortunes weighed heavily on the Windermere team and two more Ashton tries followed in the second half, the latter providing a moment of slapstick comedy.
Both chasing attacker and defender over-ran the ball as it stopped dead, and the scramble to turn back to it in deep mud provided the only laugh of the afternoon.
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