THERE was double delight for Blackburn Rugby Club with two of the junior teams winning on Lancashire finals day.

And it was extra special for the club’s talented Under 16s team who claimed the added distinction of being the first team to win their age group Plate final three years in a row.

Last year they won by a single point and this time the game was equally as tight with a single score separating them from their opponents, Ashton Under Lyne, at the final whistle.

Blackburn were the better team throughout the final but struggled to break down a determined Ashton outfit who defended with great resolve. Ashton took the lead early in the game when a defensive mix-up in dealing with a high kick gifted them a try. But Blackburn, winners for the previous two years, were not shaken by the score and stormed back - Will French crashing over for a try to level things at half time.

Territorially, the second half was dominated by Blackburn but Ashton Under Lyne always carried a threat on the break and the match could have gone either way.

Eventually, after a period of sustained pressure, the Blackburn forwards drove over the line and Harvey Banks claimed the touch down which was to win the game 10 -5.

It was also a day to remember for the club’s Under 15s who also had a tough battle but eventually proved too strong for Widnes.

Blackburn, playing into a strong wind in the first half, took the lead through Matthew Furbrush early in the game.

They held their lead until the very end of the first half when Widnes hit back to cross for try which was converted to lead 7-5 at half time.

With the wind at their backs after the break, Blackburn were always on the front foot.

They crossed the line three times only to be held up and when Tommy Taylforth did ground the ball it was a split second after the referee had blown for an injured player.

But eventually they made the breakthrough and a hat-trick of tries from Sam Chadwick - the last following a superb kick by live-wire scrum half Ross Birchall -sealed the 22-7 victory.