ANOTHER rugby union season is in the books, so it is time to take a look back on how the area's teams fared and consider their prospects for the 2018-19 season.

FURNESS

FURNESS were pleased with fourth position in the Cumbria League, but sensed they could have been more consistent. Availability had an impact on selection, but at least the performances were competitive and results often close.

Victories away at Workington and Egremont were noteworthy, and the Blues ran eventual league champions Upper Eden close in the early stages of the year. Captain Corne Els was the keystone to the side and his absence through injury in the latter part of the season had a significant impact on the run-in.

Leon Sweet, in his final season, was solid up front along with regular Ben Hughes. The versatility of Dillan Taputu gave Furness options and he proved a reliable member of the squad.

Steve Neale was deservedly awarded players' player of the year at the presentation night for his age-defying performances at fly-half where he was consistent and never took a backward step.

Young Rhys Humphreys matured over the year in the centre and is a real prospect for the future, but it was top try-scorer Rhys Studt stood out as an attacking threat whenever or wherever he got the ball in hand and his aggressive pace was always difficult for the opposition to deal with.

Furness are already working on a new coaching set-up for next year which is a potentially very exciting prospect. Several new faces have already indicated an interest in playing and will be welcomed into the Blues squad as morale builds in the close season.

The squad are aware of their potential and know that a few consistent performances will put them in a strong position in the Cumbria League next season.

HAWCOAT PARK

IT has been a tough season this year for the Maroon and Whites, with the first team escaping relegation from the North Lancashire And Cumbria League by the skin of their teeth.

For the firsts, in the early part of the season it was a case of not closing games out, getting beaten by the odd point or three and decision making which would prove costly moving forward.

Skipper Brad Morrow had a great season on the pitch and off the pitch with the birth of his first child. Up front, the colossus that is Paul Woodburn turned out to be the man keeping them up after scoring a last-minute try away at Eccles, which proved to be the team eventually relegated.

George Smith proved his worth with some fine performances along with Ash Mowat, Calum Ramsey and Alfie White, who took player of the season.

With Chris Burns and Adam Grainger missing very few game,s the squad are aware that to compete in this league they will have to be more clinical and train every week to take the team to where they should be.

HAWCOAT PARK A

HAWCOAT'S second team started the season very well, winning a lot more than they were losing with top try-scorer Dave Wynne running in a fair few yards in the pursuit of points.

Some new faces played this season in Connor Tyrell, who showed some great promise, and the resurgence of most improved player Scott Garnett and players player Ryan Brown, who finished the season with a good run in the first team.

A cup run got cut short when a fixture reversal in the quarter-finals due to bad weather on the day of the game forcing Hawcoat to forfeit.

Using 56 players in total, the A team has had to call on all resources to keep the show on the road, with shifts being a main instigator.

Adam Williamson has had a good, steady away season using his experience to bring on some of the young guns around him as has skipper Martin Kennedy, with Luke Shaw playing more games than anyone else this season his partner in crime.

Another player breaking into the first team was Matt Robson, whose industrious play has opened a few eyes this season. But going forward, a bigger commitment is needed to training and match-day if the squad is to play to its full potential and win the current league they are in.

MILLOM

THERE have been ups and downs this year at Wilson Park, but one bonus has been this season’s club coach Adam Redhead, who has not only changed the way Millom play, but also the way they train.

The emphasis has been put on developing the squad and the team should be in fine fettle looking to next season. The club even managed to get a second team out on numerous occasions which is testament to the hard work put in by all at the Millom.

Paddy Loughran has never been far from Adam in being his right hand man in looking to take this young team forward. With the likes of Keiran Coulson, Joe Thomlinson, Callum Loughran, Robbie Pattinson and Sy Robertson in the team, it looks to be in safe hands with its youthful look and exuberance.

Stalwarts Ian Cummings and Steve Watson have been pulling the strings in the forwards with Chris Parks in the backs under the direction of the conductor and captain Trevor Dixon.

It was not for the want of trying, but it took the second half of the season before Millom got their first win of the season – the hard work early on the campaign finally paid off, which gave the squad the lift it needed.

There is no doubt that after a brief rest there will be a hard pre-season ahead for the Wilson Park side as they look to progress further next season.

WINDERMERE

IT has been a funny season for the Ambers, with team seeing an influx of some new faces and some very strange results winning games they would perhaps be expected lose and the opposite in losing games they should have won.

Skipper Jamie Hardman and old head Dan Harrison must have been pulling their hair out at times, with Mere finishing third-from-bottom in this year’s Cumbria League.

There were some lighter points, with second rowers Tadhg Butler and Phil Murphy forming a formidable partnership, and Bertie Hodgson cementing and making the fly-half role his own.

Jim Crawford’s return to the game after a nasty leg break the previous year was a big lift for the side, along with Moses Dawson playing everywhere from scrum half to his normal wing role.

There is no doubt that Windermere is a top half of the table team and as such they will need to be back to top form going into next season Cumbria League.