New Earswick All Blacks put in a performance right out of the top drawer to beat the fancied Batley Boys and progress to the final of the Gordon Teale White Rose Trophy.

As reported in yesterday's Evening Press, the All Blacks upset the odds with a 24-17 away victory to avenge a league defeat by the leaders of Yorkshire League division one, who had only lost once this season.

The York side will now face Hunslet Old Boys in the final of a competition which they last won 15 years ago before becoming ineligible to enter after being promoted to a higher level of rugby. A date for the final is yet to be confirmed.

Hunslet, who beat Ackworth 42-4 in the other semi-final, lie second in the YL division one table, with All Blacks, who coincidentally lost to Ackworth in the league last week, two places below in fourth.

All Blacks coach Simon Baines was delighted. "We showed great character and patience during the game and our desire to win carried us through against a very skilful Batley team," he said.

All Blacks did indeed have to show great character, especially after finding themselves 12-0 down after two breakaway tries within the first 15 minutes. They also saw their most dangerous player up to that point, Mick Harrison, forced off with an ankle injury.

But the York side hit back on 28 minutes when Jez Petch proved unstoppable from ten metres out off a set move. Ian Calpin converted to make it 12-6.

Five minutes later, a piece of individual skill from Adie Robinson saw the All Blacks reduce the lead to 12-10 and, although Batley scored a drop goal just before half-time to make it 13-10 at the interval, the second half belonged to New Earswick.

All Blacks dominated from the restart but it took until the hour-mark for them to get over the whitewash, and even then Alan Pallister was held up by the scrambling defence.

Nevertheless, two minutes later Pallister was not to be denied, as he broke through three would-be tacklers to touch down under the sticks. Calpin converted to make it 16-13 to New Earswick.

Ten minutes later, Robinson put All Blacks further ahead with another fine try, with Calpin again goaling to increase the lead.

Batley responded just two minutes later with an excellent try to set up a tense finale at 22-17 down, but Calpin settled New Earswick's nerves when slotting over a 20-metre penalty to put them two scores ahead at 24-17.

Man of the match was John Leach.

Updated: 09:12 Tuesday, March 04, 2003