Upper Eden were at it again – another very close match – but at last they came out on the right side.
They travelled to Kirkby Lonsdale in the quarter final of the Cumbria Cup and won 14-10.
On a dry, bright afternoon Eden kicked off and immediately put the home team under pressure in their own half.
Matthew Sanderson turned over the opposition line out ball it was fed to Will Birbeck who made a powerful drive to the line but was held up.
Eden were awarded a penalty which was converted by Oliver Bennett to open the scoring.
The next period of the game was fairly even with both teams testing each other out in and around the middle of the field.
The home team attacked the Eden half and were awarded a penalty on the 22 which was converted to level the scores.
The Eden back-row of Sam Birkbeck, Josh Winder and Fin Rose were working hard at the breakdown, combined with good work at the line-out from Tom Mooney and Winder which enabled Eden to put some good moves together.
Andy Major took a high ball in open ground and made good yards into the hosts half to maintain the pressure but they could only manage two further penalties from Bennett for a half-time lead of 9-3.
From the restart the visitors put several phases of play together to feed the returning Liam Fox who made good yards but was unable to break free and utilise his pace due to good defence from Kirkby.
Matthew Brass received a yellow card for an adjudged high tackle. Major collected a long ball from the home full back and accelerated into the Kirkby half. Good hands from Fin Rose and Will Birkbeck took the attack up to the 22 where Josh Alderson received the ball and he beat two defenders to score an unconverted try.
The Underley Park men launched several attacks into the Eden half but solid defence from the visitors, particularly James Birkbeck, Sanderson and the backrow thwarted their efforts.
Following sustained pressure by Kirkby the ball was moved clinically down the line for them to score a converted try in the corner.
From an Eden scrum on the halfway line, Ollie Rose made a good break into the hosts half but the defence was solid.
James Birkbeck was making good yards in the loose, ably supported by Winder, Sam Birkbeck, Fin Rose and Sanderson.
But James Birkbeck received a yellow card and the home team launched several attacks but Eden held on for a fine victory.
This was a good solid performance from the Pennine Park men in a closely fought game.
