In a highly entertaining match the three league status between the two teams proved to be too much for West Hartlepool to overcome. Despite West battling to the final whistle Mowden proved too strong and ran out winners 64 points to 5 points winners.
It was my pleasure to present the trophy to the Mowden Park captain.
The match was played in front of a large crowd, as have the other County Cup finals this year. My thanks go to The Cups Competition Committee who has done a good job in ensuring the timely completion of all competitions this season and my congratulation go to all the winning clubs.
Having missed the County Senior sides opening match victory last week, I joined the squad for the match against Staffordshire. This meant an early morning start for the trip to Lichfield for the match.
The Durham boys started with a real bang receiving the kick off and going through several phases and scoring without Staffordshire having a touch of the ball. The Durham backs looked like scoring each time they had the ball and quickly built a 17 point lead. On one of their rare attacks Staffordshire managed to score a converted try to reduce the Durham lead to ten points.
Durham scored at regular intervals to build a 41 – 7 lead. Staffordshire battled to end and were rewarded with a late try to make the final score Staffordshire 14 – Durham 41.
Pre match I presented playing shirts to two players who had graduated from the successful U20 team to make their senior county debut. At the post match meal they also received their county tie from me.
Kieron Clark receiving his county tie to mark his full county debt after graduating from the U20 team
This result sets up a crunch match away to Leicestershire next Saturday with the prize for the winner being a final at Twickenham the following week.