Upper Eden travelled to Heaton Moor full of expectation on Saturday, but they returned bewildered by both the result and an overly fussy performance by the referee.

Eden started their North Lancs/Cumbria league fixture in fine style. Good possession allowed centre Duncan Rose to make a couple of good breaks before the ball was switched left for Bud Brown to feed Jeremy Vess a great pass, which he finished in style on the left wing. Rick Heron added the conversion and fired over a penalty to give Eden a 10-0 lead.

Heaton replied with a penalty of their own from the restart, then cut the gap again with another penalty before taking the lead with a try in the corner.

Eden had a chance to regain the initiative when Ian Gowing made a break, but his final pass was dropped with the line begging and 11-10 remained the half-time score.

A series of perplexing penalties led to a converted rolling maul try bu Heaton, run from the back of a lineout, but then Bud Brown made an interception only to see his final pass going astray just two metres from the line.

Brown was later yellow-carded for manhandling a Heaton player but Phil Hughes gave Eden fresh hope when he latched onto a pass and ran ball in. Rick Heron added the difficult conversion from out wide and against the wind.

Heaton regained their grip on the game with a further penalty and a converted try, despite a final flourish by Eden that saw them squander another chance as they tried to come to terms with the opposition and the whistle-happy referee, who had spoiled the continuity of the game for both sides.

The Boars beat arch-rivals Penrith B 18-16 at Pennine Park in a somewhat physical clash. But the game did herald the welcome return of Paul Alderson from long-term injury. Tries were scored by Karl Haygarth, Gavin Sisson and Nigel Martin and a penalty was added by Ben Alderson.

l Next Saturday sees De La Salle at Pennine Park.