UPPER Eden took the Cumbrua North Lancashire league leaders right to the wire in their encounter at Pennine Park on Saturday.

After establishing a first half lead, Eden withstood Wigton's revival and went in front again only to concede a knockout punch when they appeared to be in control and heading for a useful victory.

After missing a penalty attempt in the opening minutes, Rick Heron made amends with a finely measured effort from fully 40 metres to give Eden an early lead.

Colin Wolstenholme actually crossed the line with a diving effort from a maul but was adjudged to have lost control of the ball, but Wigton failed to clear the danger and Heron dropped a goal to make it 6-0.

Eden's forwards contained their opponents and Eden contantly threatened the line in a spell of relentless forward pressure with David Hughes and Ian Gowing making an outstanding contribution. Twice, Eden players were stopped just inches from the try-line before Rick Heron scored another penalty to give Eden a 9-0 half-time lead.

Wigton had the wind in the second-half and forced Eden into errors, securing two succesful penalties of their own before Eden regrouped and went back to progressing up the pitch with rucks and mauls.

It was against the run of play that Wigton scored the first of their two tries, the ball being spun out to their substitute right winger who outflanked the Eden cover to go in under the posts. Wigton got the conversion to take a 9-13 lead but then Eden outscrummed them again from five metres out for Colin Wolstenholme to crash over and Rick Heron to convert.

At 16-13, Eden were well on top around the fringes and looked to have the game in their pocket until, after an enforced reshuffle, the Wigton scrum-half was allowed a gap in midfield through which he scored under the posts. Wigton gleefully added the conversion to snatch victory.

The Boars beat Selby 3rds 49-5 with tries by Gavin Sisson (2), David Capstick (2), Dan Murray (2) and Ben Alderson with Mike Hughes, AdieFox and Dan Murray (5) adding the conversions.

Upper Eden travel to Carlisle on Saturday while the Boars entertain Northallerton 3rds.