Jason Israel continued his superb form from the kicking tee as he helped fire Carlisle Rugby Club to a fine 29-17 home win over Harrogate.

It was Carlisle’s catch-up game against promotion hopefuls and they made a nonsense of their respective North Premier league positions.

Carlisle were certainly determined not to be overawed by the difference in league positions, and given their recent improving performances, took the game to Harrogate from the off on Saturday.

They were rewarded three minutes in, with a penalty from centre Israel inside the Harrogate 22 as they drove the visitors back towards their try-line, with good hard carries by the forwards.

Carlisle continued to enjoy a good amount of possession in the early phases. However, Harrogate defended well and a swift counter-attack saw them score on seven minutes.

Fly-half Luke White jinked through the Carlisle defence, feeding flanker Tasker for an easy run in under the posts for a converted try.

Carlisle had to weather a storm for the next 10 minutes, before they finally managed to win possession and got themselves into an attacking position.

It paid off with another penalty in front of the posts and Israel reduced the deficit to one point.

Carlisle continued to pin Harrogate back in their half with a series of touch-finders and high balls.

Harrogate, eventually, coughed up another penalty, this time 30 metres out, which Israel converted for a deserved two-point lead.

Harrogate, in the initial phases at least, enjoyed scrum dominance but they didn’t have it all their own way as scrum-half James Telford burgled the ball from under the nose of the opposition scrum-half to nullify their hard won possession on more than one occasion.

On 32 minutes, Harrogate capitalised on a kick out of defence, as their flanker charged the ball down and fly-half White was quickest to react. He gathered the ball to sprint over for their second try, which went unconverted.

There were no further scores in the half and Carlisle could be well-contented going into the dressings room, just three points adrift at 12-9.

Carlisle started the second half switched-on and focussed, and they were rewarded after only seven minutes when a five-metre line-out was mauled over the line. Prop Angus Fulton got his hands on the ball and Israel made light work of the conversion from out wide.

They extended their advantage from another penalty just shy of the hour mark, as a Harrogate high tackle 30 metres out gave Israel the chance to split the uprights once more.

Yellow cards have been defining moments for Carlisle in recent games and, this time, it turned in their favour as Harrogate lost a man to the bin.

Carlisle took the game to the visitors and Grant Connon was given enough space near the halfway line to dodge his way past the Harrogate cover defence and past the last defender to go over in the right corner. Israel converted superbly from the touchline.

Even a yellow card for Carlisle on 66 minutes for James Brocket couldn’t dent the home side’s confidence, and they defended like demons to shut the visitors out.

They even managed to increase their lead further during this time from another Israel penalty to put the game pretty much out of reach of the opposition with eight minutes to go.

The visitors tried every which way they could to stretch the Carlisle defence for an opening, and finally found a gap in the right corner with the last play, but the game was gone by then for them.