Hawcoat Park’s hopes of finishing in the top four in Cumbria Division One’s regular season were ended by a disappointing 25-20 defeat at Upper Eden last Saturday.

The division splits into two after this weekend’s fixtures, with the top four playing off against each other home and away for the remainder of the campaign and the bottom four doing likewise.

With six points now separating the Maroon and Whites and fourth-place Wigton, they will now have to play in Division 1B, which gets under way next month.

Upper Eden side chose to run everything back at them and it was fitting that their full back opened the scoring with a tenth-minute try.

The visitors then had to move back-rower Brad Morrow to scrum-half after an injury to Jack Shannon, although they still levelled the match at 5-5 when hooker Adam Grainger plunged through a gap from close range.

A 30-metre penalty restored the hosts’ lead before the advantage switched hands, as Grady Slater picked up off the back of a scrum before off-loading for Morrow to go over.

However, Park’s lead didn’t last until half-time as Eden’s centre went on a weaving run from 35 metres out through some poor defence to score, with the conversion taking the score to 15-10 at the break.

Following a good spell of pressure in the second half, Hawcoat went ahead again when they were awarded a penalty try after the home side were guilty of dragging down an attacking scrum.

But two quick tries from Upper Eden ultimately put paid to their chances, as one of their centres received the ball in plenty of space before side-stepping an opposing forward.

It was soon 25-17 as the hosts’ winger powered his way over, with George Smith’s late penalty only doing enough to secure a losing bonus point.

Hawcoat Park A were beaten for the first time in eight games, as they were handily defeated 45-7 by Fylde Vandals.

Windermere were made to work hard by bottom side Wigton Wanderers in Cumbria Division Two, eventually prevailing 38-22 thanks to tries from Tom Atkinson, Dan Harrison, Ollie Atkinson, Moses Dawson, Daelon Hernandez and Neil Piggot.

The victory took them back above Millom, who lost 34-12 at home to second-placed Workington.