One Game Too Far for the Hornets

It was perhaps one game too far for the Hornets this season, as we suffered a heavy 50–8 defeat against a very strong Egremont side.

The Hornets went into the game having played just two matches in the previous 10 weeks. While the lack of game time undoubtedly played a part, we take nothing away from Egremont, who were the better side on the day.

The Hornets started brightly and took the lead after 4 minutes when Franny Dixon made a break and went over in the corner to give us a 4–0 lead.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived. Ben Tootill was unable to claim the kick-off, gifting Egremont a scrum deep inside the Hornets’ half, and they quickly capitalised on the opportunity.

From there, Egremont began to take control of the game, with strong carries and quick play-the-balls causing the Hornets plenty of problems. They continued to add to their score, leaving the Hornets 22–4 down at half-time with a lot of work to do in the second half.

The Hornets came out after the break determined to stop the rut and find a way back into the game. However, an early second-half try from Egremont extended their advantage.

For the opening 20 minutes of the second half, the Hornets were forced to defend relentlessly. A yellow card then reduced us to 12 men, making an already difficult task even harder against a strong Egremont side.

Despite the scoreline, the Hornets never gave up. Strong carries from James Robinson and Mark Irwin, along with some great running from Frazer Williamson, helped create an opportunity for Ellis Holiday to break away and score our second try of the afternoon with 18 minutes remaining.

Unfortunately, that proved to be the final points for the Hornets, as Egremont continued to control the game and eventually ran out 50–8 winners.

We take nothing away from Egremont, who were the better team on the day and thoroughly deserved the victory.

### Thank You

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our retiring players — Mark Irwin, captain James Robinson, Chris Burford and Tom Gardener — for everything they have given to the Hornets during their time at the club.

Their commitment, effort and contribution will always be appreciated, and they will certainly be missed on matchday. We wish them all the very best for the future and hope they enjoy their retirement from the game.

A special mention must also go to Franny Dixon, who has also indicated that he may be considering retirement. However, the Hornets are hopeful that we can tempt Franny into another season, as he has been a huge asset to the club both on and off the field. His experience, commitment and contribution have been invaluable, and we would certainly love to see him pull on the Hornets shirt again next season.

Aspatria’s Chairman Mark Ridley said “Congratulation to Egremont on their win but credit to our lads for not giving in. We’ve only played twice in the last ten weeks so that didn’t help but Egremont played superbly. We’ve had our best season for many years and winning the league was a just reward for the players hard work. Training numbers have been good all season and credit must go to our coaches Ricky Holliday and Kevin Clark.”

### League Leaders

Although it was a difficult afternoon on the field, there was still plenty to celebrate as the Hornets were presented with the **League Leaders’ Plate**.

This caps off an excellent season for the club, with the Open Age side bringing home silverware for the first time in **over 40 years** — a fantastic achievement for everyone involved with the Hornets.

We would like to thank all of our players, coaches, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and everyone who has played a part in making this season such a memorable one.

We hope you can all join us on **31st October** for our **Sponsor Day and Presentation Night**, where we can come together and celebrate what has been an excellent season for the Hornets.

**Thank you for your continued support.**

**Up the Hornets! 🐝**