New Earswick All Blacks won the all-local tie with York Groves in their delayed Accident Cup semi-final encounter 18-0.

The defences of both sides were on top in the first half and it was not until the 35th-minute that the deadlock was broken.

Groves kicked through on the last tackle and All Blacks' Andy Innes got the ball on his own before shrugging off three would-be tacklers and shotting in between the posts. Carl Pallister converted to to New Earswick a 6-0 half-time lead.

Six minutes into the second half and All Blacks scored the crucial second try after a superb passing movement saw Jess Petch release Andy Gibb to crash over. Pallister this time missed the conversion but All Blacks looked well-placed at 10-0.

York Groves enjoyed plenty of possession thereafter and on the hour mark looked to have reduced the arrears when prop Simon Moat crossed the line, only for the referee to have spotted an earlier All Black infringement.

The All Blacks tied the game up with ten minutes remaining when skipper Petch burst clear from 40 yards to score a superb individual try.

With four minutes remaining, Innes scored his second try of the match to seal the win. Man of the match for the victors was prop Jamie Daniel, closely followed by Tom Coomber.

Updated: 11:54 Monday, March 18, 2002