Carlisle have led from the start of this campaign. They won impressively away at De La Salle, Manchester, 13-50 on the first Saturday and followed it up with a local derby against Penrith, winning 31-5. Their first defeat was in Douglas in mid-September when they were pipped 28-24.

We lost our fifth consecutive North One West at Rivacre Road in October to Carlisle, 17-42, and the following week, 20th October, Northwich surprisingly defeated their visitors 34-15. Carlisle failed to score a bonus point for the first time this season, but they have not lost since the autumn and they remain undefeated at home.

Last Saturday, away to newly promoted Broughton Park, they were held to a 10-10 draw, but still top the table by an impressive twelve points.

We last played Carlisle when we had two years in North One West in 2011-12 and 2012-13. Games went with home advantage. In our first season, we won 45-14 at Eastham, but lost away, 25-10. The following year we won 14-13 at Malone Field, but lost heavily 52-0 and were relegated.

Carlisle were relegated from North One West in 2015-16, but immediately returned the following year by winning the North Lancashire/Cumbria division by fifteen points.

Anselmians have showed glimpses of the qualities needed to stay in this higher division. In each game, thus far, there have been encouraging signs, but, on no account must Saints be caught sleeping as they were against Stockport last week.

Carlisle will be the sternest of tests and we must be at our very best consistently if we are to stop the league leaders. It is a measure of our task that Carlisle scored over fifty points against Stockport.