Potter’s in triplicate show steers

9:43am Saturday 10th May 2008

JORDAN Potter was the hero as Heworth ARLC Under-13s lifted the Yorkshire Junior Rugby League U13s Cup after a 26-14 win over derby rivals York Acorn.

It was the second year running that the two teams from York reached the showdown, both sides having impressed on the road to the final, which was played at Featherstone Rovers' Chris Moyles Stadium.

And again it was Heworth who came out victorious, to follow-up last year's 20-14 win, with Potter following his two tries in that game with a hat-trick this time.

This match, too, was a close game which could have gone either way until Jacob Field, the Heworth substitute prop, made the decisive play with two minutes to go.

Acorn had begun the scoring with an excellent move that split the defence. Jack Anderson scored it and added an excellent touchline conversion.

Heworth, though, responded with Elliot Bulmer and Billy Legg making good yards every time they ran the ball.

Peter Clarke and Flannan Naismith were good in defence, as were Jack Stewart and Louis Maddison, who were strong on the wings.

Ben Barker, who only played a few minutes of last year's final after getting injured, made up for that disappointment with an excellent game, while Ryan Stead coped well with the big Acorn forwards.

The game was on a knife edge before an injection of pace from Potter started to turn the game in Heworth's favour.

As well as his tries, Potter made some great tackles that stopped Acorn getting back on top, especially in the second half.

But it was team show from the Villagers, as Liam Jackson and David Hayes guided them around the pitch with Harry Deighton outstanding at hooker, while hard-working Daniel Coulson and William Barratt had to play for longer than intended after prop Ollie Murphy suffered injury.

Heworth's other try-scorers were Jackson, who added a conversion, and Alex Clough, who accelerated through the Acorn line.

However, in the meantime, Dominic Noone scored two tries for the Blue and Golds and there was never more than one score between the sides - until Field's late effort.

Heworth were leading 20-14 with the game on a knife-edge, before Field came off the bench and with his first touch barged over the line.

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