Lancashire Cup final: Sedgley Park 31pts, Fylde 3pts

COLIN STEPHENS became the first captain in Sedgley Park's 70-year history to hold aloft the Lancashire Cup in Preston on Monday.

The game was a little one-sided with Sedgley calling most of the shots, but the rugby was full of movement from the start, with much tactical kicking and some excellent counter-attacking.

Sedgley full-back Pete Roberts was flawless under the high ball, putting an early mark on what was to be an outstanding game for him.

Two penalty goals from the Stephens' boot were a fair measure of Sedgley's growing confidence during the first 20 minutes, but Fylde's Gavin Moffatt cancelled out one of them.

However, from the restart kick, Richard Senior's drive set up a ruck from which Stephens restored Sedgley's advantage with a drop-goal.

The team was beginning to play with some fluency, but Fylde's defence was equally admirable and half-time was only three minutes away when Sedgley scored that vital first try.

A Fylde clearance kick bounced kindly for Pete Roberts near touch on halfway. He beat the first man, chipped delicately and accurately over the oncoming wall of defenders, kicked on again and was then obstructed.

No matter, left wing Stuart Oldham was on hand to tap the ball over the line and complete the score. Stephens converted to take Sedgley's lead to a comfortable 16-3 at the interval.

Fylde had been physically strong and determined, but had lacked Sedgley's pace and cutting edge.

The opening minutes of the second half produced more of the same as powerful runs by Richard Senior and Jon Scales set up a short range try for scrum-half Dave McCormack.

Stephens missed the touchline conversion, but added an easy penalty, and Sedgley were out of sight.

Fylde now played their best rugby of the match, twice pushing Sedgley off their own scrummage ball, and maintaining pressure for a full ten minutes.

Stand-off Moffatt made one clean break and, later in the game, replacement Dave Wiseman made another, but Sedgley were in determined mood, the defence well-organised as ever.

So, when Sedgley finally did throw off the shackles, it came as no surprise that Paul Rees's drive produced a gaping hole through the centre for Dave McCormack to race clear to the posts.

Man-of-the-match Stephens converted and, minutes later, was holding up the magnificent old cup. A fitting end to a superb season for the club.

SEDGLEY PARK: P Roberts; M Wilcock (C Wilkinson), J Scales, C Hassan, S Oldham; C Stephens (S Jennings), D McCormack; G Roberts, L Treco (P Keyes), H Thomas (R Latham); P Arnold, W Stockdale (P Rees); R Senior, I Grainey, T Fourie (A Taylor).

An excellent game in prospect at Park Lane this Sunday (May 12) as Rochdale meet Broughton Park in the final of the Lancashire Trophy.