Portico Panthers 8 Haydock 4 PANTHERS crowned a meteoric rise to the top of the Amateur Rugby League tree with this St Helens Glass Lancashire Cup final triumph over neighbours Haydock.

For the Yickers though it was once again a case of so near, yet so far, having been beaten in last season's final by another local outfit, Thatto Heath.

Nearly 1,100 hardy souls braved the icy weather at Knowsley Road to witness this local derby and they were rewarded with a confrontation that made up for what it lacked in finesse and high-scoring with passion, commitment and bone-crunching tackling.

Portico had first use of the football and set out their stall from the outset with a good set of six, followed by an effective kick and chase to set up camp deep inside the Haydock half. And their supporters didn't have long to wait for something to warm their souls with big prop Chris Ashurst powering through for the first try with barely two minutes on the clock.

The usually-reliable Mick Hobin was off target with the conversion attempt from just to the left of the posts but the pattern for the opening half-hour had been set with Portico enjoying both territorial advantage and the lion's share of possession.

And on 11 minutes the Panthers doubled their total. Hooker Lee Cunningham put in a grubber kick to the Haydock line and when a defender fumbled, the ever-alert number nine was on hand to re-gather and dive over at the corner, the touchline conversion again proving beyond Hobin.

Portico continued to dominate for much of the first half, with man-of-the-match, scrum-half Keith Tunstall at the hub of most of their good work, but they were unable to further penetrate a now reinforced Haydock defence.

As the half-time break approached though the tide began to turn, with Haydock finally making inroads into the Portico half. Their best chance came on 38 minutes when hooker Peter Cahalin took a quick tap and almost caught Portico napping only to be hauled down iches short of the line, although many felt taking the seemingly-easy two points on offer might have proved a better option.

The second-half proved to be a stop-start affair with play continually held up by a succession of injuries but it was Haydock's turn to dominate with most of the action unfolding between the half-way line and the Portico 25.

Substitute Steve Kelsey, second-row Ian Marsh and prop Kevin O'Garra stroved manfully to haul their side back into contention, but a combination of solid Portico defence, well marshalled by former Saints and Salford packman Paul Forber in the unaccustomed roles of centre-cum-stand-off, and a lack of direction thwarted their efforts to get on the scoreboard.

Time and again Haydock looked sure to score only to turn the ball back inside when the situation was screaming out for the speed of wingers Simon Tickle and Gareth Hill.

And Portico had a golden opportunity to wrap the game up on 67 minutes when a break by centre Dave Leyland had the Haydock defence at full stretch only for the move to break down with the try line begging.

Haydock took full advantage of this let-off three minutes later, belatedly getting the ball out to the dangerous Tickle who finally breached the Portico defence with a try in the righthand corner. The conversion attempt failed, but with just four points separating the teams, a nerve-jangling finale was in prospect.

Stoppages meant a full 11 minutes of injury time being added on, but try as they might Haydock could not get that all-important equalising score and Portico held on grimly for a historic success which, on the overall balance of play, they just about deserved.