The much anticipated and long awaited County Cup Final was finally played on Saturday between the two Eden Valley clubs at Kendal in front of a bumper crowd of upwards of two thousand people. Both clubs had had highly successful league campaigns being either champions and promoted or on the verge of it and came into the contest full of confidence.
Penrith would be considered possible favourites playing in the league above but Upper Eden had a very impressive playing record over the previous two years and had knocked out a capable Aspatria side along with the county's No.1 rated side Kendal.
Penrith couldn't have got off to a better start and were ahead in the second minute, prop Andy Muir's quick thinking taking a quick lineout throw under the grandstand got the ball into open play. It was quickly shifted to the opposite wing where Fraser Nicolson and Arran Pamphilon made ground before Pamphilon chipped the ball into the 22 and almost to the line, he was able to chase the ball and retain possession and when the support arrived the ball was popped to Adam Howe a couple of yards out and he bulldozed through the defenders on the line to score.
The game then settled into a pattern and Eden had the lions share of possession as they set to work to test the resolve of the Penrith defence. Their best chance of the win was if they were taken too lightly but Penrith did not make the mistake that Kendal had in the semi final and gave the rivals up the valley the respect they deserved. It was clear from the start that both sides were fully committed with no quarter asked for or given as they threw themselves into contact in attack and defence.
Midway through the first half Eden had a ten minute spell deep in the Penrith 22, won a number of penalties but were unable to break down the Winters Park Men's defence which stopped them on the gain line and eventually lifted the siege.
This would prove to be the pivotal point of the game as Penrith's backs then cut loose and scored three tries in the ten minutes before half time. Eden were penalised and Penrith opted for the scrum and this left the space for the three quarters, Pamphilon made the break, Mike Fearon took the ball to the line and after couple of forward drives George Graham was able to pick the gap to dot the ball down. A penalty to the corner led to the next score, the lineout ball was secured, Man of the Match Scott Lancaster drove for the line but was brought down. Howe and Sam Wilson then tried their luck but were brought down and when the ball came to the backs Fearon picked the gap to dive over.
On half time a move off the training ground brought the fourth try, Graham got quick lineout ball, fed Fearon and looped outside him and fed the ball wide, Joe Spencely again sent it wide and Nicolson on the wing was in space. He found Jamie McNaughton who hit the line at pace from full back and he out ran the cover to score in the corner.
Eden faced a 26 point deficit at half time and although the game as a contest was all but over their physical effort did not falter, they played with dogged determination and limited Penrith to only two tries in the second half.
The first came as No8 Wilson broke blind from the back of a scrum, he set up Graham who put 18 year old winger Rob Coward away and his speed saw him just beat the cover to the corner. Coward bagged a second, as first Jay Rossi then McNaughton made inroads in the Eden defence and set him up for a clean run to the line.
Penrith didn't get to run riot though as Eden continued to battle away and as the game went into the latter stages they got the wrong side of the referee and conceded a number of penalties and in stoppage time they found themselves defending on their own line. Eden got the ball over the line and it looked to be held up but then squirted out of the maul and the loose ball was pounced on by Matt Allinson to claim the try.
Penrith had run out deserved winners but Eden had nothing to be ashamed of, they had given their all, played to their potential and will now have a guide of where they need to be aiming if they get the result they need this week at Millom to win promotion.