Match Preview

This Saturday we welcome Carlisle to Rivacre Road in a match sponsored by Lockwoods Construction.

Currently riding high at the top of North One West, Carlisle visit Anselmians when we have lost five consecutive games and threaten to equal our worst start to the season when, in 2015-6, we lost our opening six games.

Carlisle have had a great start to this campaign. They won impressively away at De La Salle, Manchester, 13-50 on the first Saturday and followed it up with a local derby against Penrith, winning 31-5. Their only defeat was in Douglas a fortnight ago when they were pipped 28-24.

Last Saturday, at home to newly promoted Broughton Park, they were convincing winners 31-7.

We last played Carlisle when we had two years in North One West in 2011-12 and 2012-13. Games went with home advantage. In our first season, we won 45-14 at Eastham, but lost away, 25-10. The following year we won 14-13 at Malone Field, but lost heavily 52-0 and were relegated.

Carlisle were relegated from North One West in 2015-16, but immediately returned the following year by winning the North Lancashire/Cumbria division by fifteen points.

Anselmians have showed glimpses of the qualities needed to stay in this higher division. In each game thus far there have been encouraging signs. Carlisle will be the sternest of tests and we must be at our very best consistently to avoid equalling an unenviable league record.