We were without Chocky, who didn't travel because of an impending arrival, and Gavin Painter who was away on English Colleges duty.

Third from bottom Carlisle began the game as though they were the league leaders. They were a side transformed from the outfit which conceded 67 points at Brinkburn earlier this season with fly half Ben Rimene dictating operations.

He slipped through a non existent defence to score under the posts on eight minutes, then on the quarter hour put his side 10-0 ahead with a simple penalty for offside.

French full back Stephen Helies kep up the pressure picking up in his own half to make forty metres through the West defence. He was tackled but the referee judged that the West tackler hadn’t rolled away and Rimene made it 13-0.Andy Cheslin was judged to have been the guilty party and was sin-binned.

West was feeling that they weren’t getting the rub of the green at the breakdown but the yellow card finally forced them into action.

We finally got into the Carlisle 22 and Paul Moss kicked a penalty to the corner and the forwards took the line out to drive over with Paul Rudd touching down. Moss failed with the conversion but two minutes later he was more successful after the same tactic produced a try for Dan Boatman in the opposite corner to make it 13-12.

That was to be Dan's last major contribution after landing heavily when his lifters were taken out at a line-out.

We were only one point behind at the interval, but failed to take the opportunity to start the second period in brighter fashion.

Instead, it was Rimene who slotted another penalty from in front of the post on 42 minutes.

With Jon Boatman sin-binned on 50 minutes Henry Tones had to leave the pitch with a broken hand. We were without all of their starting back row with Anth Carr moving back to allow Jon Norris to come in as prop.

Carlisle took advantage with scrum half Tom Hughes darting through to score under the posts to make it 23-12.

Rob Thorn finally got into the game and started an attack on 72 minutes with Darren Thomas coming into the action He almost made the line but Carl Robinson was following up to touch down between the posts to bring the visitors to within one score.

In the closing minutes play was concentrated in the Carlisle corner with Moss opting to go for line-outs when the home side conceded several penalties - flanker Mark Allan paying the price with a yellow card. But, as much as we tried, the home defence held out.

Carlisle: Helies, Barker, Plummer, earl, McDonnell, Rimene, Hughes, Birnie, Graham, Marshall, Rattray, McGimpsey, Allan, Sherlock, Charters. Reps. Kidd, Clark Lewis.
Tries: Rimene [8 mins], Hughes [57]
Cons: Rimene [8, 57].
Pens: Rimene [ 16, 21, 42.]
Yellow: Allan [78]

West: Thomas, Thorn, A Cheslin, Hodgson, Cheslin, Moss, Tighe, Carr, A Dixon, Robinson, Rudd, T. Dixon, D Boatman [Garside 37], H Tones [ J Norris 50], J. Boatman. Rep not used: Butcher
Tries: Rudd [25], D Boatman [27], Robinson [72]
Cons: Moss [27, 72].

Yellow: A Cheslin [16] J Boatman [50]

.Referee: Stweve Holmes [Lakeland Society]