Jack Senior Memorial Bradford Cup: West Bowling 12 Queensbury 18

QUEENSBURY gained sweet revenge for their crushing 50-10 defeat in last season’s final by dumping out holders West Bowling in the opening round at Emsley's Rec.

Both sides made a rip-roaring start in the heavy conditions, with Bury taking the lead when a hesitant home defence allowed packman Andy Walker to touch down in the corner, leaving wingman Scott Swann to convert from the touchline.

Bowling made inroads down the centre, and when the visitors were penalised for a head-high shot, loose forward Richard Lumb took a quick tap and run to skittle the defence on a charge to the posts, allowing scrum half Ben Heald to slot the equalising goal.

West's then hit the front on the half-hour mark when stand-off Max Trueman produced a piece of pure magic by selling a dummy to race behind the uprights, and Heald made sure of the extras for maximum reward.

They looked to heading into the break with a six-point cushion before a sloppy play-the-ball in the corner enabled Swann to pounce and make the score 12-10 with all to play for.

West’s laid siege in the visitors' red zone on the restart but Bury stuck to their guns and broke clear in a lightning strike to put a smart crossfield kick onto the right flank, enabling centre Tom Hainsworth to win the race to touch down out wide.

The visitors' momentum continued unabated, and Walker grabbed his brace when he collected a fumble to sprint to the whitewash too far out for Swann to add the extras and ensure a valuable six-point cushion.

Bowling, led by prop Ryan Patchett, are not the Pennine League Premier Division title-holders for nothing, however, and threw everything bar the kitchen sink at the Championship-based visitors.

Trueman sliced through in style and handed on to Heald, only to see the final pass go to ground, and another scything run saw substitute Dan Gregory’s pass sail into touch with the try line beckoning.

A raking kick to the corner from Heald looked to have done the trick with five minutes to go but substitute wingman Chris Curtain’s effort was disallowed for not grounding the ball correctly.

The tie ended with both sides still tackling like demons to crown a match of great skill and determination in terrible conditions.