Wath Brow A were given a scare by Lowca in the preliminary round of the Firpress Printers Cumberland Cup.
The Hornets second string have been seeing off the opposition largely spectacularly so far but Lowca took them all the way.
Wath Brow held a 16-10 lead at half-time but Lowca edged a very tight second-half which ended with the Hornets still in front but only by 20-16.
Lowca had taken the lead on seven minutes when Mitchell Todd went in for the opening try but midway through the half a try by Matt Huby, converted by Jenson Olstrum saw the advantage swing to Wath Brow.
Tries by Jack Meagan (27) and Luke Spivy (34), the first converted by Olstrum, suggested that Wath Brow might run away with it but right on
half-time Todd scored his second try for Lowca and Keith Campbell converted.
Four minutes into the second-half the tie was in the balance as Lowca drew level with a try from Jordan Allen which Campbell converted.
It was nip and tuck with very little between the sides and the only further score was a Wath Brow try on 56 minutes from Meagan which won the game.
Man of the Match for Wath Brow was Greg Dawson with Emmerson Allen taking the honour for Lowca.
If that was tight the preliminary round tie at Maryport was even tighter as Glasson Rangers edged out Hensingham A 21-20.
Although Glasson opened the scoring with an unconverted try by Luke Johnson after just two minutes the first-half belonged to Hensingham who had established a 16-4 lead by half-time.
On seven minutes Scott Egan, who was to emerge as Hensingham’s man of the match, levelled the scores with an unconverted try.
Brandon O’Fee went over after 16 minutes and Dean Bragg converted with Callum Morgan crossing on the half-hour and again Bragg added the extras.
It got better for Hensingham when Dane Richardson scored their fourth try seven minutes into the second half and at 20-4 they looked firm favourites.
But Glasson had other ideas and came back strongly and effectively.
On 53 minutes Richard Stamper went over for a try which Johnson converted and five minutes later Matt Burns went over and again Johnson converted.
It had proved a fruitful spell for Glasson and on 62 minutes Scott Faulklener levelled the scores with an unconverted try.
It was drop goal time now and five minutes from the end Johnson popped over the winner for Glasson.
The tight nature of the weekend Cup-ties continued in another game staged in Maryport.
This time Maryport were the late winners, earning a 22-18 win over Kells A with a try five minutes from the end by Luke McKnight.
It had been all square 12-12 at half-time with two well-matched teams going toe to toe.
Chris Ivison had given the hosts a 4-0 lead with the opening try on 11 minutes but four minutes later Kells had the lead. Michael Orr went in for the try and Dan Starkie knocked over the extras.
Back came Maryport with a penalty from Blake Miller to level the scores before Kells moved ahead again. This time it was Starkie who went over and also added the conversion.
Five minutes before the break Maryport were level again as their man of the match Ellis Nixon nipped over and Miller added the conversion.
Again Kells came back to lead 10 minutes into the second-half with Harvey Smith providing the finish and Starkie again putting over the kick.
Maryport came back with a try from Luke Baker on 65 minutes, converted by Miller and with the sides locked together it was McKnight who came up with the 75th minute winner for Maryport.
The highest scoring game of the four ties played was at Cockermouth where the Titans beat Egremont A 44-36 to reach the semi-final.
Although Egremont scored first and last in the first-half they were trailing 24-4 at the break.
Jack Stainton crossed after only two minutes before Cockermouth hit back on 10 minutes with a try by Jack Gaskell which man of the match Ryan Scott converted.
Egremont regained the lead on 13 minutes with an unconverted try by Jack Stainton but Cockermouth then hit their visitors with a purple patch which produced four tries in a ten minute spell.
Rob Scott (2), Ryan Scott and John Patrick all crossed the Egremont line with Ryan Scott converting one.
Egremont did manage a third try in the last minute of the half through Jack Conway which Kaden Block converted.
Two minutes into the second-half Patrick scored his second try before Egremont rallied and two converted tries from Brad Oglanby (44) and Sam Williams (56), with Block adding the extras, pulled it back to 28-26.
Then it was Cockermouth’s turn to hit their opponents with two quick tries on 64 and 67 minutes from Lewis Shield and Ryan Scott, both converted by the latter.
Egremont weren’t finished and on 72 minutes their man of the match Jack Pae scored a try, converted by Block
But Patrick’s hat-trick try on 78 minutes clinched the match and Pae’s second try for Egremont in the last minute was purely a statistical addition.
