CUMBRIA caused an upset in the National RU Under 20 Championships when they beat Northumberland 34-21 at Northern on Sunday.

Having lost their opening game against Cheshire 34-5, Cumbria needed a win to get back into the hunt for one of the top two places in the Northern Division which would guarantee progress down the path to Twickenham and they rose to the challenge.

Northumberland, beaten finalists last season and 43-21 winners over Durham in the opening game, were on level terms at 15-15 at half-time and went ahead briefly soon after the restart, but Cumbria fought back and sealed the win with a try on 80 minutes which finally took the game out of the home side's reach.

A try by speedy Carlisle wingman Lewis Boyd, converted by Keswick fly-half Glen Weightman, gave the visitors the lead before Northumbria University centre Charlie Catterall crossed for the home side and fly-half Marcus Jackson (Northumbria Un) leveled the scores with the conversion.

A Weightman penalty, followed by a try from Keswick centre Tom Blaney edged Cumbria ahead again, only for Berwick full-back Nathan Trotter to level things with a try on half time.

A Jackson penalty gave Northumberland the lead for the first time, but the advantage was short-lived as the ever-dangerous Boyd crossed for his second and Weightman goaled.

Carlisle hooker Joe Graham opened up a 27-18 gap with a try, but flanker Newcastle University Stuart McDonald also crossed to keep a highly-entertaining game in the balance, but Weightman had the last word when he intercepted to dash 30 metres for the final try that he converted for a personal tally of 14 points.