Montell Carrington 20 Carnforth 29 CARNFORTH got their league campaign off to a great start on Saturday with a hard fought victory in the first ever meeeting between the two sides. It was obvious from the start that the game would be a forwards battle by the size of the pitch, one of the smallest Carnforth have played on.

Right from the first whistle Carnforth took the game to Montell and within the first 2 minutes they had taken the lead. From a free kick flanker Richard Short powered through before releasing fellow flanker Peter Harrison who went over for his first try. Stand off Iain Parkinson, converted for a 7 points lead.

Montell had a much bigger pack but the Carnforth 8 never let up. Simon Gaskin, Steve Collins and Colin Stubbs having fine games in the front row battle, Collins taking a couple of strikes against the head.

On the 10 minutes Montell hit back with a try given by the referee when it seemed scrum half Simon Hutton and wing Mark Barratt had held up the opposite man over the line. Parkinson put Carnforth 5 points ahead with a penalty after Montell were caught offside in their own 22.

The crowd got behind their team and were duly rewarded when the home pack made the chance to enable a try being scored wide out on to the right, Montell now had the confidence and trailed by only 2 points after being 15 down at half time. Carnforth kept control and Parkinson converted Whitham's try for a 29 - 20 lead, a scoreline they kept intact until the final minute to register 2 points from the opening fixture. Carnforths league quest continues on Saturday with thier first home game of the season with a fixture against Colne & Nelson.

K. Holden, M. Barratt, S. Whitham, P. Metcalfe, J. Winstanley, I. Parkinson, S. Hutton, S. Gaskin, S. Collins, C Stubbs, I. MOorhouse, S. Rich (Capt), P. Harrison, R. Short, B. Albiston. SUBS M. Etherington.