Newly-promoted New Earswick All Blacks hit their Pennine League division one season at full pace with a turbulent 12-man opening day win over St Joseph's.

Ben Jones, the two-try star of the early exchanges, found himself back in the dressing-room with 15 minutes to go after retaliating to a punch in an exchange which also saw St Joseph's reduced to 12.

But All Blacks dug in to turn their holding lead into a 24-20 win.

Prop Jamie Daniel slipped the ball to Jones in the first ten minutes for the young scrum-half to side-step three men and charge in the opening try, James Sanderson added the extras.

All Blacks went further ahead three minutes later after a great break by Wes Rogers saw the ball go out to centre Carl Pallister who sent in an inside pass to Jones for his second, Sanderson again converting.

St Joseph's responded with two unanswered tries - one converted - to take the scores to 12-10 at the interval.

Teenage duo Daryl Fogg and Liam Gargan combined early in the second to release winger Phil Turpin racing over in the corner with three tacklers attached like limpets as he crossed.

Jones' influence was the key factor behind All Blacks' fourth try when he sent winger Dean Smith off down the wing from a scrum on the half way line to score again in the corner.

He soon fell from grace, given his marching orders, but his side battled on through sub Ady Robinson and Smith to make it 24-14.

St Joseph's hit back once more to make it 24-20 but All Blacks defended well to hold on for a deserved victory in which Daniel was the man of the match.

Updated: 10:40 Tuesday, September 06, 2005