It was always going to be a challenge to lift their game against third place Morpeth after last weeks performance at home to Keswick. Carlisle managed a better performance though ultimately a bigger set of Morpeth forwards won them this game.

Carlisle had to defend for much of the first 15mins, as the visitors pack controlled set piece to give their backs plenty of ball to work with. They didn't have it all their own way though and clearly the man in the middle saw something he didn't like about the Morpeth scrum, pinging them on more than a few occasions. It was from one of these penalties in Carlisle's half, that the home side capitalised on possession and ultimately they found themselves with a 5m lineout down the left. Scrappy ball meant that they couldn't set the rolling maul, but they worked the ball across the park, with Tyler Callaghan eventually finding space to go over next to the posts, Robbie James adding the extras for a 7-0 lead.

Morpeth struck back almost immediately, as spilt ball from a Carlisle scrum was worked across the park,Morpeth's inside centre dummying to go through the home defence for a converted try, 7-7.

It was honours even for the next 15 minutes as both sides had their share of territory and possession, without adding points on to the board. Morpeth though would get a controversial second try, as they worked the ball across the park, an extremely flat ball from their fly half to winger being loudly called forward by the home support. He was at the centre of another controversy as he looked to have dropped the ball forward from a return pass from the winger, kicked it through and as the entire Carlisle side stopped, the Morpeth fullback pounced on the ball and dotted down behind the posts. Oh for a TMO review, but a lesson learned in playing to the whistle, and Morpeth were ahead 7-14.

Carlisle tried to strike back quickly and enjoyed a period of possession within the Morpeth half, the visitors committing a number of penalties, but they were unable to capitalise. Eventually Morpeth won turnover from a scrum, and kicking deep into the Carlisle half, won a penalty at the end of the first half to go into the break 7-17 up.

Carlisle started with purpose in the second half, and within 2 minutes Robbie James had a chip shot in front of the posts from a penalty to reduce the deficit to 10-17.
The home side had to endure a long period of Morpeth pressure as their forwards tried hard, through a series of pick and gos, to find a gap in the home defence. Carlisle were up to it though, eventually winning ball back to clear their lines. Then they turned the tables on the visitors by probing the visiting defence deep in their 22, eventually being rewarded by another penalty in front of the posts, James adding three more points to close the gap to 13-17 on the hour mark.
Whilst Carlisle continued to probe the Morpeth defence for gaps, the visitors defence repulsed anything thrown at them, and eventually Carlisle found themselves defending deep within their own territory. The relentless attack by the Morpeth forwards eventually told as their No 8 found a gap on the Carlisle tryline to bag their third try 10 minutes later, converted for a 13-24 lead.

Morpeth attacked from the restart, and within a couple of minutes, an infringement at the breakdown in front of the posts gifted them another 3 points to go 13-27 up with just 5 minutes left on the clock.
Although Carlisle looked to try to salvage something from the game, Morpeth just shut up shop, and their cause wasn't helped, when Josh Holmes ended his game early for some retaliatory shoving. Morpeth just took advantage of the extra man, and from a 5m scrum simply worked the ball across the try line until they found the gap to go over for their bonus point.

Although the scoreline suggests a comfortable victory, in truth Morpeth weren't in a secure position until 10 minutes to go. This was a much better performance by Carlisle who kept in touch until the visitors pack managed to grind down the home defence. Losing a man to the bin didn't help the Carlisle cause either. The concern for Carlisle is the absence of a number of players through illness and injury, and they'll be hoping for some to benefit from the rest weekend next Saturday, to be available for the home game against Consett on the 30th November.