BLACKBURN went into their final game of the season looking to end it on a high, especially after last week's Lancashire Cup triumph.

Wigton, however, had more desperate motives as they were looking to avoid relegation to the North West Third Division.

Blackburn started brightly and were showing no signs of a cup hangover as they took an early lead through a Gareth Evans penalty.

The visitors hit back with a penalty on the half-hour through scrum half Peter Wilson before taking the lead against the run of play.

Blackburn looked certain to score a try themselves until Wigton's impressive fly half Kefu Kalahana intercepted a pass and blazed downfield to go over under the sticks, with Wilson converting.

Kalahana put Wigton further ahead on the stroke of half-time after the New Zealander jinked his way under the posts.

Andrew Graham, in his final game for Blackburn, helped the home side step up a gear in the second half and went over in the corner after some direct running. Winger Evans did well with the conversion from a difficult angle before adding another penalty to reduce the deficit to four points.

Blackburn took the lead midway through the second period. Flanker Dominic Moon's quick break led to Alan Sutcliffe being fed out wide. The young winger did well to beat two men and then go over in the corner. Evans did brilliantly again to knock over the conversion.

Wigton hooker Martin Stafford then scrambled the ball over with Wilson converting.

But the tenacious Paul Bleasdale swung the pendulum back in Blackburn's favour, charging down an attempted Wigton kick and the ball dropped invitingly for the scrum half to touch down and Evans converted.

Wigton threatened again and winger Steven Richards broke through to go. This time Wilson crucially missed the conversion.

Gareth Evans missed a penalty for Blackburn the mercurial Bleasdale sublimely placed a drop goal through the posts to give the home side a one-point victory.

BLACKBURN RUFC...30

WIGTON RUFC...29