Fleetwood 7 Carnforth 31 CARNFORTH'S penultimate game of the season saw them enjoy a welcome victory over a Fleetwood XV.

Carnforth scored five tries and were happy to see the return of two key players from long injury lay offs- Jason Coutlon and Phil Metcalfe.

They started the game in determined manner and from the kick off they attacked the Fleetwood side who had a mixture of experience and youth in their team. An early score seemed inevitable and this came after a fine individual break by stand off Kevin Hardy. From the resulting ruck flanker Gavin Barton took the ball on and Prop Mark Morfoot picked up and drove over the line for his first Carnforth try. Hardy converted for a 12 point lead.

Soon after and Carnforth crossed for their second try when once again the forwards laid the platform for the backs to use the ball. Jason Coulton, playing on the wing, received the ball from Brain Albiston and his awareness and pace took him through the defence for a deserved try.

With the amount of possession and ball they had Carnforth should have rattled up more points in the first half but lack of concentration let them down with bad handling errors and sloppy passing. Fleetwood did have their chances and when a score seemed certain in the top corner No 8 Albiston put in a superb try saving tackle on his opposite man to keep Carnforth's 12 point lead intact at the interval.

Half time saw a change with Coulton leaving the field and being replaced by Phil Metcalfe.

After sustaining Fleetwood pressure after the break Carnforth scored a vital try. Iain Parkinson took the ball at pace to signal his last game of the season with a try under the posts, Hardy converting.

Carnforth should have looked comfortable then but Fleetwood made a match of it. But with 10 minutes to go Carnforth sealed victory with a well worked try. After David Hones came close in the first instance, Albiston picked up from the base of the resulting scrum and fed to full back Mark Barratt who cut back inside to score a determined try. Albiston left the field and was replaced by John Chippendale who slotted straight into his preferred No 8 position.

Metcalfe rounded off the game with a well worked try after coming close only the move before play was set up by the backs for the flying winger to sprint away for a try and victory for Carnforth.

This Saturday sees the final game of Carnforth's season with a trip to Kirkby Lonsdale.

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