Ambleside 20, Windermere 23.

A RARE tussle for the derby honours in this opening Cumbria League fixture of the season was only decided in the closing minutes when a try from Windermere No.

8 Richard Rigg sealed the points.

A closely-contested game was fought out in hot, dry conditions which made it a searching test of fitness.

After a exchange of penalties, Ambleside scored the opening try and stayed ahead until the final stages when the visitors snatched victory.

Windermere enjoyed plenty of possession but failed to make the most of it, although good early pressure forced Ambleside back into their own 22 where they were caught offside at a ruck.

Mike Procter put over the penalty, but Ambleside quickly cancelled it out when Windermere strayed offside, allowing Roger Watson to level the scores with his kick at goal.

As if to remind us that this was a derby, an altercation led to a 20-man brawl, leaving the cover otherwise occupied as Bragg scored a try for Ambleside, which Stephen Dixon converted.

Windermere again found themselves under pressure and a ball-handling mistake, followed by backchat to the referee, saw Ambleside awarded a penalty and Dixon extended their lead to 13-3.

Finally Windermere pressed the home team back into their own 22.

Ambleside gave away the penalty to the left of the posts and No.

8 Rigg took a quick tap and drove over for a try, Mike Procter converting to cut the half-time deficit to three points.

Early in the second half, Ambleside broke down the right and kicked ahead.

In the chase that followed Ambleside's new skipper Isaac Benson was brought down and the referee awarded a penalty try and Dixon converted.

Trailing 20-10 at this stage, Windermere got their act together and replied with a good passing move.

The ball was spun across the backs and Matthew Neild joined his opposite wing to take the pass and feed Ian Balmer, who crossed for an unconverted score.

When Mike Procter tacked on another three points from a penalty, Windermere were just two points behind with everything set up for a tense finish.

In the closing minutes the Windermere forwards drove their opponents backs in front of their own posts.

Ambleside conceded the penalty for offside and Rigg again caught them by surprise, taking the tap and powering over for the try, which proved a good idea as the subsequent kick failed.

n Back-to-back fixtures see the two teams meet again this Saturday when Windermere host the first round of the Powergen Junior Vase (3pm).