THEY don’t come much more dramatic than the long-delayed Iggesund Cumbria County Cup final.

It went down to the very last play of the game, in stoppage time, and a try from Kells scrum-half Grant McLoughlin put them level at 16-16 with Seaton.

Skipper Tony Burns had the pressure kick to win the silverware for his side – taking the Cup back to Kells for the first time since 1992.

Despite the cat-calls and boos, Burns held his nerve to put the kick between the posts – the last act of a remarkable final at Maryport’s Athletic Ground, watched by a crowd of 750.

Although it was hard and uncompromising in parts it was never dull and the climax was one of the most remarkable in the history of the competition.

It was only Seaton’s second defeat of the season and came a week after they had lost to Kells in the League to leave the title race a straight fight between the two of them.

After that initial reversal Seaton seemed to be suffering stage fright for the quick resumption against thir Copeland rivals and it took them 20 minutes to fully realise they were in a Cup final.

By that time they were 12-0 down as Kells had capitalised and scored two converted tries in the opening 14 minutes.

They took only two minutes to take the lead as centre Steve McGrady put winger Ryan Groggins over in the corner. Burns, who was to play such a key role later in proceedings, landed a superb touchline conversion.

It was all Kells at the start and they doubled their lead just short of the quarter hour mark when stand-off Ross Gainford burrowed over near the posts and Burns’ conversion was a formality.

If Kells had scored a third try it might have been all over but when Burns was put through with the line beckoning he dropped the ball.

As if stunned into retaliation after realising they could have been dead and buried, Seaton came back and by half-time they were seriously back in business.

On 32 minutes Paul Hopper followed up a kick through and got there for the touchdown, with Brett Phillips landing the conversion.

It was now Kells’ turn to be forced onto the back foot and although they defended doggedly they couldn’t prevent Ryan Blair from forcing his way over a minute before half-time for an unconverted try.

Seaton looked as though they had missed their chance on 46 minutes when Kells’ international centre Scott Lofthouse was sin-binned for a late tackle.

Despite working hard to try and exploit their one-man advantage Seaton could not find a way through a dogged and determined Kells defence.

The game ebbed and flowed, always hard and competitive, but deep into the final quarter it was still 12-10 to Kells.

Then on 73 minutes Seaton grabbed the lead for the first time in the match. Richard George hoisted a high ball which Blair managed to get to and although he was collared managed to flip-up a pass for Calum Phillips to go over. His brother Brett converted and at 16-12 to Seaton it looked odds on they could see it through.

Indeed it got to stoppage time – and there had been a few delays for the injured to be treated – when the game took a final twist.

Seaton had the ball and kicked on last tackle. It was charged down to give Kells a final set of six. On the last tackle McLoughlin did ever so well to feint a pass, wrong-foot the Seaton defenders and dive in to score the try which levelled-up th contest.

Over to you Mr Burns – and he did not disappoint the Kells fans in the crowd with an accurate conversion to clinch the final – which was literally with the last kick of he game.

Kells prop Paul Culnean won the sponsors man of the match award for a big effort up-front but h must have been run close by his team-mates - the two half-backs and try scorers Gainford and McLoughlin.

MAL WALKER was our man at the final and he took these shots during and after the game.

Tony Buns shows-off the Iggesund County Cup after his dramatic conversion won the game; Grant McLaughlin goes over for the clinching try; Ross Gainford touches down by the posts and Paul Hopper sparks Seaton's fight-back. The jubilant Kells team need no other introduction.

Mal's prints can can be bought at £25 for an A4 framed and £40 for an A3 framed. Prints only are £10 A4 and £15 A3.  .

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