An absolute cracker of a Top Four final could have gone either way after 100 minutes of intense rugby.
In the end Wath Brow A beat Distington 11-10 to land the Holmen Iggesund Cumberland ARL trophy.
It went to extra-time when a drop goal from Sam Curwen a minute from the break proved to be the winning score.
Cumberland ARL secretary Lorraine Degraff said: “What a game. This was an absolutely cracking final with nothing between the two top teams in the CARL Premier Division. They both threw everything at each other for the entire 100 minutes.
“The pace and ferocity of the game gave the 500 + spectators some top class entertainment throughout, and the game could have easily gone either way. The biggest winner in this game was definitely rugby league.”
League champions Distington had opened the scoring on 19 minutes with an unconverted try from Jamie Friel.
They held that lead until right on half-time when Curwen landed a penalty goal for the Brow.
Wath Brow went in front for the first time on 59 minutes when Clarke Riley went over for a try which Curwen converted.
But six minutes later Distington edged back ahead when Stephen Clarke went in for a try which he converted himself.
It stayed at 10-9 until two minutes from the end when Curwen put over a penalty to send the final to extra time.
Nine minutes into the first period Curwen came up with the drop goal and despite some really intense play in the final period of extra time it proved to be the winning score.
Paul Farrell, the Wath Brow coach said: “It was a great game for the neutral. A cracking final between the top two teams in Cumberland ARL and I thought we just deserved it.
“We stuck to our game plan and although it was a fine team performance in a hard, competitive game I thought our forwards were magnificent.
“I’d just like to commiserate with Distington and wish them luck going forward in the Cumberland Cup final on October 20 and next season in the National Conference.”
The Distington coach Aiden Worthington also thought Wath Brow had deserved their victory, complimenting their team – particularly their “fine pack of forwards.”
“In all honesty I think our lads just got bored with the rugby that was required – five drives and a kick to the corner and make them make mistakes.
“Wath Brow stuck with what was needed on the day and that got them over the line,” he said.
