Young Eastmoor Dragons side are denied by late try after battling effort at Hensingham

Injuries, work and holiday commitments left the Dragons short of experienced players and they could not quite reel in their Cumbrian opponents who in a blistering start were 10-0 up after 14 minutes, with the final score being 26-16.

It looked like it was going to be a long day at the office, but the Moor hit back with a try on 28 minutes by Tom Wrigglesworth to make the score 10-4 and this looked like the tonic the Dragons needed.

However, Hensingham were on the scoresheet three minutes later when they stretched the Eastmoor defence following some woeful tackling as their winger crossed wide out to make it 14-4 at half-time.

At the interval some stern words had been spoken and expectancy was high for an improvement in Eastmoor’s performance, but Hensingham extended their lead to 14 points 10 minutes after the restart.

With the visitors uphill it looked ominous, but they clawed back some of the deficit to make it 18-10 when their man of the match Wrigglesworth crashed over for his second try and Jordan Walker added the conversion.

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In a game strewn with errors by both sides it was becoming a lottery as to who would score next and it was the home side with another try.

Again the Dragons bucked their ideas up with winger Callum Hudson winning the race to collect the ball following his kick ahead to score on 68 minutes.

This breathed new belief into the Moor and with Walker adding the conversion there was only one score in it again.

In the closing stages it was nip and tuck, but it was the Dragons who cracked first. A rush of blood to the head saw players’ man of the match Walker sin binned for a professional foul and Hensingham took advantage of their extra man by throwing the ball about to stretch the Dragons defence and score wide out.

It was not a pretty game with numerous mistakes by both sides played on a rough field resulting in two Eastmoor players having to leave the field with ankle injuries.

Eastmoor will be looking to up their game this Saturday when they are on their travels yet again, to Oldham side Waterhead – their fourth away game in six weeks plus a Bank Holiday in between.

For travelling supporters the coach leaves at 12 noon from the club house.