YORK RUFC Colts have reached the National Cup final for the second consecutive year - confirming themselves as one of the best youth teams in the country.

They lost in the dying seconds of the under-17s final last year, but will get another crack at the crown, this time at U18s level, after holding on to beat Old Albanians 29-26 in the semi-final at St Peter’s School, York.

The final will be on Bank Holiday Monday, May 1, at Bedford Blues’ Championship ground where York will look to secure the title which so narrowly eluded them 12 months ago.

The semi-final contest always had the potential to be a cracker and so it proved, with both sides fielding strong squads on the back of successful seasons.

York - who recently picked up the Active York Team of the Year award - started with vigour, taking the game to Old Albanians with some hard running and hard work at the breakdown.

This gave the platform for some immediate pressure resulting in a penalty 90 seconds in, Sam Elliot slotting over the three points.

The Hertfordshire outfit were no soft tough, though, and demonstrated their own fluidity with some scintillating breaks, stretching the ball wide and pushing York back.

This brought a try in the ninth minute. The conversion was unusual in that York managed to charge down the kick.

York started to maximise their dominance in the set-piece with some great turnover ball from the forwards. The reward came in the 18th minute as Oscar Bell took a crash ball at speed close to the Old Albanians line and drove over, Elliot converting.

From the restart, York capitalised further after an attempted kick for touch by Elliot. A series of odd bounces kept the oval ball in play and as it dropped into the in-goal area, full-back Charlie Rae outstripped the defenders to touch down.

As half-time loomed, York again set up an attacking phase for the backs and winger Sam Williams took the ball at speed, stepping two men. As the last defender brought him down, he stretched over to the line, Elliot’s conversion making it 22-5 as the interval.

It got better for York on the resumption as OA had two men sin-binned inside four minutes.

The Clifton Parkers took advantage as captain Joe Simpson, with a pick and drive, forced his way over between the posts, the conversion making it 29-5.

With 25 minutes left, it looked all over, but Old Albanians have a reputation for fightbacks and they showed why in a tense last quarter.

With 13 minutes left, they hit a purple patch and drove towards the York line, the defence eventually folding, the try and conversion giving OA’s an outside chance.

York were soon under pressure again and a yellow card put them down to 14 men for the remaining eight minutes.

OA immediately took advantage with another try and conversion.

York settled back down again but then, two minutes from time, with the Clifton Parkers setting up for an attack on the OA 22-yard line, a pass was picked off for long-range interception try, the conversion making it 29-26.

Tension was high in the crowd for both sets of spectators.

Old Albanians were looking to secure the ball from which to mount one last decisive attack, while York were desperate to secure possession from which they could drive down the clock.

From the restart, the ball ended up falling to the ground and York number eight Tom Williams dived on it to secure possession.

Three pick and goes later, the clock had run down and York were able to put the ball into touch to take the win and bank their place in the final.