LANCASTER'S all-new rugby league club is in for a long, hard summer...

That's the conclusion following the team's debut in the TotalRL.com Rugby League Conference at Carlisle Centurions - and a disastrous 56-6 reverse.

This was always likely to be Lancaster's toughest test of the season against a very strong Carlisle Centurions side containing no fewer than seven players with professional experience.

And it left the courageous but hastily assembled Lancaster side under no illusions about the size of the task ahead.

Former Workington Town coach Gary Murdock led his experienced Centurions into the attack straight from the kick off at Gillford Park and Craig Stalker touched down for the Cumbrians after less than five minutes. A further 11 tries followed over the next 75.

Lancaster fought until the end, with a mixture of both superb and desperate defending, and on the positive side, there were great runs by winger Si Ledwick and consistent leadership from captain Rob Shaw.

Lancaster's points came in the first half as hooker Keith Hartlebury broke through the home defence to score the first try for a Lancaster team in almost a century. It was easily converted by Kirk Verity.

The second half was dominated by Carlisle, with player-coach Murdock at the heart of every-thing both on and off the pitch.

The defeat has not disheartened the Lancaster side - in fact quite the opposite. The players are now keener than ever to get onto the Giant Axe playing surface for their historic first home game this Saturday.

They will take on experienced Conference side Chester Wolves but, despite Wolves' successes in the competition over the past few years, Lancaster are hopeful of their first win.

Club chairman John Thomason says:"The lads are all really up for Saturday, and we are urging rugby fans from across the district to come along and spur them on."

Chester defeated Blackpool on Saturday, racking up 70 points, but only managed a narrow win over Liverpool a week earlier.

Commenting on Lancaster's defeat by Cumbrian favourites Carlisle Centurions, and looking forward to Saturday, Lancaster skipper Rob Shaw says: "We allowed Carlisle to dictate the pace of the game from start to finish. There are lessons that need to be and will be learned for the Chester game".

* Lancaster's game against Bolton-le-Moors has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 21, with a 7pm kick-off.