KIRKBY Lonsdale's teenage winger Gavin Thompson scored a try and a clutch of Kendal forwards played a vital role in helping Cumbria to a vital win in the County Championship decider at Aspatria on Saturday.

Along with Thompson, 19, the South Lakes contingent featured Kendal powerhouse Richard Harryman and both Bowmans, Mark and Dan, who contributed in an excellent fightback by the side to beat Northumberland, Lincs and Derby 32-25 at Bower Park.

They turned a 10-point deficit into a 14-point lead at one stage and the win means that Cumbria will be playing among the elite in the County Championship next season rather than with the minnows in the Shield competition.

Team manager Roger Hackney said: "It's a great relief because there was no way we wanted to drop out of the main competition. It would have been a disaster for the county and not the way we wanted to go.

"We are trying to build a young squad and we saw some of them heavily involved in the win over the Three Counties."

n Kendal have had their new opponents for next season confirmed. Because Halifax lost their promotion play-off game against Launceston, the "levelling transfer" of clubs between leagues was not required.

In addition to the three promoted clubs (Bradford & Bingley, Cleckheaton and Bedford Athletic), the other new club into the 3 North League will be Rugby Lions, who were relegated from National Two.