FURNESS entertained Wigton in Cumbria League One but eventually went down 52-27 to the west Cumbrians.

There were a few new faces in the Furness line-up, not least fly-half James Howden, newly-signed from Hawcoat Park.

Wigton started the game at a frantic pace, and, despite some excellent Furness tackling, the home side were soon five points down.

Furness went straight back at the visitors from the restart and were unlucky not to score from a five-metre scrum.

Then followed a 15-minute period during which neither side was able to impose itself on the other.

Twenty minutes or so into the game, Wigton went further ahead when, following a Furness offside, Wigton kicked for the corner and from the ensuing lineout drove over the Furness line, using their weight advantage to good effect, for a 10-0 lead.

Not to be outdone Furness responded with a try of their own almost straightaway, when No8 Will Mallinson went over following good work by full-back Jordan Ashton. Hetherington missed the conversion.

An all too familiar error from the restart, with three Furness players all attempting to catch the same ball, gave Wigton a scrum on the half-way line from which, following yet another pick up and drive, they went over for their third try of the afternoon.

With half-time rapidly approaching, Furness were awarded a kickable penalty 30 metres out but, not for the first time eschewed the opportunity to gain three points in favour of a possible seven points form scoring a converted try.

The plan worked perfectly with Howden’s well-timed inside pass finding Rhys Humphreys steaming up alongside him for Furness’s second try. Hetherington’s conversion made it 17-12 to the visitors at the interval.

The second half was always going to be difficult for Furness, playing into the wind, and so it proved, when five minutes into the half Wigton went over for their fourth, and bonus-point try, following yet another catch and drive.

Just to make matters worse for Furness, a loose kick followed by some half-hearted tackling saw Wigton score their second try of the half.

With Furness now 19 points adrift and with over 30 minutes still to play, things could have gone seriously wrong.

Furness never gave up and, although struggling to get out of their own 22, tried to take the game to Wigton. But another Wigton catch and drive to lead 38-12.

Furness could easily have capitulated at this point in the game but Mallinson set up Iestyn Humphreys who was tackled just short of the line.

An ensuing penalty saw Furness captain Corne Els go over for Furness’s third try of the afternoon.

Another move involving Man of the Match Mallinson and Iestyn Humphreys resulted in prop Chris Dalton scoring Furness’s fourth and bonus-point try to reduce the arrears at 38-22.

Wigton scored two more tries and Furness one, a brilliant individual effort by centre Peter Rimmer.