CUMBRIA Women’s team are through to a cup final date at Twickenham after they claimed a last gasp 24-22 win at Essex in the semi-finals of the Gill Burns County Women’s Championship.
Cumbria, who now go onto play Devon in the showpiece final, were trailing 22-20 before scoring a last-minute try to seal the famous win.
Lily Hodgson’s hat-trick of tries, as well as a try from Kim Fitzmaurice, edged the team to victory while Lucy Branthwaite landed two conversions one of which came from the touchline.
After the game delighted coach Ally Ratcliffe said: “It really was tight throughout, but we asserted control at the right time.
“We were 17-17 at one point with about 10 minutes left, and that would have been good enough to take us through because we were the away team.
“But we scored a fourth try four minutes from time which was converted, and they then threw the kitchen sink at us.
“They scored late on in the corner and missed the conversion.
“However, they went on to win a penalty but instead of going for goal they tapped and made a mess of it as they spilled the ball on the final whistle.
“We went mental after that because it was a great achievement to go all the way there and beat a side who had won their previous two games as had we.”
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