The new Holmen Iggesund Cumberland ARL season has kicked off with three games being staged.
Tightest of them was the clash between the respective A teams of Ellenborough and Egremont.
It finished 20-18 to hosts Elbra but it could have ended in a draw.
Egremont scored a try four minutes from the end and a successful conversion would have tied the scores but it failed.
Ellenborough A had led 8-0 at half-time as they started well, scoring a try through Leon Ackerley after only four minutes.
Rhys Burr, who was to emerge as Elbra’s man of the match, crossed for a second unconverted try on 29 minutes.
The third quarter of the game was profitable for Egremont A as they came back to lead 14-8.
Brad Oglanby went over on 44 minutes and then two tries inside four minutes by Jack Pae (54) and Dillon Scott (58), with one Kaiden Block conversion pushed the visitors in front.
Daniel Penman got Elbra moving again on 62 minutes with a try, converted by Brett Stevenson and the sides were level.
Burr’s second try on 65 minutes, converted by Stevenson, gave Elbra a 20-14 lead and it all hinged on the kick after Egremont’s man of the match Henry Ogilvie had scored a 76th minute try.
Wath Brow A are expected to challenge for the title this time round and they started with a 31-8 home win against Kells A.
They had dominated the first-half to establish a 23-4 lead at the break, but Kells were more competitive in the second period.
Kells had actually gone in front after just six minutes when Aaron Burns scored an unconverted try.
But it was Wath Brow who did the rest of the scoring in the first-half.
After 17 minutes Peter Caddy went over to level the scores and Jenson Olstrum put over the conversion.
Two tries in as many minutes gave Wath Brow control as Luke Davison (24) and Devan Sharpe (26) both crossed and Olstrum added the conversions.
On 34 minutes Jamie McAllister scored an unconverted try and the last addition to the score-board before the break was a drop goal from Olstrum for their 23-4 lead.
Wath Brow increased their lead on 62 minutes with an unconverted try from Jack Meagan before Kells responded with their second try from Dan Grears.
The scoring was completed a minute from time when Meagan went over for his second unconverted try.
Man of the Match for Wath Brow A was Jamie Devine with Bailey Morton picking up the award for Kells A.
In the third game Lowca were convincing 46-4 winners over Hensingham A, running away with it in the second-half after posting a 22-4 interval lead.
Tries from Ashton Briscoe, Jordan Allen and Mitchell Todd inside the first 28 minutes, two converted by Jamie Scott, got the hosts off to a telling start.
Brandon O’Fee did respond with a try for Hensingham, but Jake Smythe crossed right on half-time for Lowca and again Scott converted.
Within nine minutes of the second-half Lowca had extended their lead with tries from Todd, Luke Weightman and Emerson Allen which were all converted by Scott.
Todd completed his hat-trick on 59 minutes, the final score of the game, and Scott added the conversion.
Emmerson Allen was Lowca’s man of the match with Steven Hodgson taking the accolade for Hensingham.
The big game in the League today is Distington v Maryport but the game between Glasson Rangers and Seaton has been conceded as Seaton were unable to raise a side.
