Upper Eden made progress in the Cumbria Cup with a hard-fought 28-24 home win against Wigton.
That represented a good effort by the visitors who have still to win a game since promotion to Regional 2 North.
They had travelled to Pennine Park shorn of a number of experienced players but the youngsters who stepped up performed well.
Upper Eden started favourites but they also had to make a number of changes to their team.
Playing with the wind the hosts gained early field position and from an attacking five metre line-out they scored their first converted try.
The recently signed South African scrum half Aiden Muller, who was dangerous all afternoon, sniped round the guards at the ruck to score and Danny Treece converted.
Wigton started getting into the game and Alfie Deans, a 17-year-old debutant, along with his back row partner Charlie Bell started to boss the lineouts, giving them regular possession and denying Eden the ball.
Wigton were going through phases in attack and testing the home side, who’s discipline was found wanting.
Following another penalty, Wigton drove towards the line and Elliot Armstrong crashed over, converting himself to tie the scores.
Upper Eden scored next, when Josh Alderson sliced through the Wigton centres to score and Treece converted.
Wigton hit back and following good build up play, the ball was moved wide to 18-year old Eddie Miller who outpaced the cover and scored an unconverted try in the corner.
Following good defence Bell forced a turn-over and scooped up the ball to go 60 metres for a converted try.
Then just before half time Wigton scored again, following a sustained period of pressure.
John Swainson crashed over to give the Greens a half time lead of 24-14.
Wigton needed to start the second half well and use the wind to gain field position, but within the first five minutes, they were turned over on the halfway line.
The Upper Eden fly half Treece tried a speculative cross field kick which bounced kindly into the hands of winger Sam Edger without breaking stride.
He made the try line and Treece’s conversion cut the Wigton lead to just three points.
The game was played around the half way line for the next ten minutes with neither side producing much rugby to threaten the other.
Wigton had a chance to clear their lines but missed their cue and got turned over.
This gave Eden the field position to score the match winning try from Matt Williamson and the conversion was the last score of the game.
In the end it was a missed opportunity for Wigton to advance in the County Cup, but overall a lot of positives can be taken from the game.
A squad of 19 players got the opportunity to play in the cup with three of them making their first team debuts.
