Final score was Windermere 3 - St Benedict's 10.

TAKING the field short of five regular first-team forwards and also having to reshuffle their back line, Windermere will be relieved this was not a league match.

St Benedict's from Whitehaven, who had held Windermere to a draw in the opening league game in West Cumbria were really up for this game and dictated play from the start.

The first two scrums saw the unbalanced Windermere pack shunted backwards.

The home eight dug in after this but continued to struggle while the lineouts also saw the visitors with the edge.

Lack of decent possession left Windermere fighting an uphill battle throughout the afternoon and though they did create half chances, they failed to take them.

St Benedict's were always the side going forwards and thoroughly deserved to win what was largely a scrappy match.

Tempers flared in the second half with at least half a dozen players throwing punches yet just one from each side was dispatched to the sin bin.

All in all, this was not an attractive game to watch but no-one could dispute the result.

Strong driving play from the St Benedict's forwards kept Windermere under pressure and forced them into mistakes.

The visitors chose to run the ball from a penalty award after 28 minutes and a chip and chase brought them a try in the corner.

Immediately Windermere fought back and it was the visitors' turn to defend.

They too were penalised and Jason Brown was on target with the kick.

Windermere had kept themselves in this match purely on the strength of their defence and there was a fresh urgency about their play as the second half got under way.

Unfortunately for them, however, they could not sustain the effort and St. Benedict's regained control. Windermere never gave up trying but were killed off as the visitors added a second try.

February 14, 2003 10:30