Aspatria 30 LSH 19

BELOW-strength LSH were beaten by a struggling Aspatria team who appeared to have the greater will to win.

Already without skipper Steve Cook, LSH suffered a further blow when centre Sean Casey went down with flu on Saturday morning.

Nevertheless, the visitors started brightly with replacement scrum-half Ian Kerr, after an understandably cautious start, growing in confidence throughout the match.

Aspatria opened the scoring after a Worsley clearance kick was charged down and winger Matt Woodcock scored in the corner. But LSH enjoyed the better of the half with Simon Worsley kicking three penalties and Danny Jones intercepting to score under the posts to give the visitors a half-time lead of 16-5.

A change in the weather in the second half coincided with a change in fortune for the determined Cumbrians and after flanker Mike Burnett crossed the line within five minutes of the re-start they took a stranglehold on scrum and line-out play.

Worsley added another penalty for the Moss Laners but a lacklustre display could not halt the home side and forwards Benson and Andrew both drove over for tries as Aspatria ran out well-deserved winners.

LSH remain in seventh position in National League Division Three North but the remaining games are all against sides either level or above them. Of more urgent concern is the fact that in the second halves of their last four league games LSH have scored just 10 points while conceding 92. It is hoped that Eric Hughes and his coaching team can swiftly put the situation right before the next league action at Doncaster on March 10.