Bradford Salem 23, Ponteland 6: Getting to a Twickenham final was the big carrot for Chris Luxton as he rejoined Bradford Salem at the start of the season.

And the full back, who spent his two seasons away from Shay Lane at Morley, is still on course to achieve his ambition as the Heaton club reached the last 16 of the Powergen Junior Vase on Saturday.

Luxton, whose cousins Dave (prop) and Johnny (flanker) were also in the starting 15, played a large part in what was mostly a tense match.

He helped to create a splendid first try for fly half Jonathan Jacobs and then scored an equally impressive clincher in the 85th minute, running 30 metres at pace to touch down.

"It was a push-ball move coming out wide that centre Tony Fella called, and I just went through the gap," explained the modest No 15.

"We really needed to score a try to relieve the pressure, and Matt Child then darted over in injury time."

But Salem should have spared themselves some extra grey hairs by wrapping up this match against the Durham and Northumberland Division Three leaders long before that.

They dominated the first half with the advantage of a strong breeze, but only turned round 13-3 ahead, courtesy of a try from halfway by Jacobs after Chris Luxton had attacked when ten metres from his own line.

South African Jacobs also added a conversion and two penalties, but Luxton admitted about the ten-point margin: "That was very disappointing.

"The forwards were not clearing the opposition away at the ruck, and just didn't seem up for it.

"Then in the second half, when it was 13-6, we were on the back foot for ages and their forwards were playing better than ours.

"They are a well organised team, gave it a good go and we weren't playing well. I was worried, thinking 'Crikey, we have got to do something here'. But we defended very well and eventually we did much better, and Jonathan pinned them in the corners late on with his kicks."

Salem, pushing for promotion from Yorkshire Division Three, now face Malton and Norton (third in Yorkshire Two) at Shay Lane on Saturday, January 18, and Luxton said: "I cannot wait for that, and I reckon we can do well, especially with us being at home. We will get our supporters behind us and be in for a 'W'.

"And there is no reason either why we cannot beat leaders Knottingley at home in the league next Saturday when we will have Jason France back in the second row. I am confident we'll go up."

The full back added: "The chance of getting to Twickenham with the lads is why I came back to Salem, but it wasn't an easy decision.

"I was in the first team at Morley, though I got a couple of injuries. The standard of rugby there was better, but the atmosphere after the match wasn't as good, and I missed being with the lads."