NEW Earswick All Blacks enjoyed a second memorable York and District Cup win of the season over Heworth with a 20-16 triumph at a windy White Rose Avenue.

All Blacks, a Yorkshire League club, had beaten their Arriva Trains Conference rivals at the start of the season in the final held over from last term, and they repeated that success in Saturday's semi-final.

The officiating came in for some stick, however, as Heworth had two tries and a goal controversially disallow-ed and referee Stuart Evans played 20 minutes of injury time.

All Blacks chairman Charles Rollinson said: "I'm delighted to do the double over them. To beat them once was great but twice is out of this world. You would need to go back a long time in the records to find two wins for All Blacks over Heworth in the same season."

Defences were on top for the first half-hour, with All Blacks losing Tom Coomber and Pete Johnson to bad leg injuries, the former's needing hospital treatment.

Heworth broke the deadlock with a try by player-coach Brendan Carlyle but All Blacks went in front just before half-time when Alan Pallister, playing in the unfamiliar role of scrum-half, shot from acting-half to take three tacklers over the line with him, with former Heworth player Dave Carling goaling.

The Villagers levelled six minutes after the restart with a Carl Potter penalty but a stray pass in their own 25 saw Matt Godfrey intercept and send Steve Perks racing 20 yards to score.

Pallister sent outstanding prop Jamie Daniel crashing in near the posts on the hour, Carling converting, but the ten-point lead was reduced when Heworth crossed through Sam Clarke.

However, All Blacks, for whom stand-off Mick Harrison excelled, tied the game up with the move of the match ten minutes from time. The ball passed through five pairs of hands before man of the match Dan Wellard sent winger Lee Nelson over in the corner.

Heworth scored again in injury time through Chris Brown and the conversion reduced the gap to four points, but it proved mere consolation.

Heworth spokesman Ken Sykes said: "I don't usually moan but the rerereeing was appalling."

Updated: 10:41 Monday, February 09, 2004