Such is the current squads strength in depth that these fears were ill-founded and a disciplined display saw Cockles to a comprehensive 50-10 victory.

Old Pats ground is on Everest road and the clue here is the name for the Cockles will not play on a greater slope all season!

Losing the toss makes a difference here and skipper Tom emery did just that to leave the visitors playing downhill for the first half.

The hosts boasted a formidable pack and the early exchanges saw the Cockles pegged back into their own 22, nerves however, were settled with the outcome of the opening scrum in which the Cockles more than held their own.

After soaking up the pressure the Cockles worked their way deep into the home 22 and, after several phases of play, gained a penalty and the hosts picked up a yellow card. Opting for the scrum, the eight man drive over the line allowed Garry Hooper to touch down and George Meadows added the extras.