Skipton'S hopes of reaching the National Cup final at Twickenham ended in the Sandylands as they became bogged down and were beaten 10-0 by Heath.

A crowd of 1,000 turned up for the semi-final but their hopes of cheering their team on to victory floundered in the mud caused by heavy rain in the morning.

Skipton had been hoping to use their speedy backs but it became a forward slog and Heath had the upper hand at every level.

In fact, Skipton never looked like winning and earning a big day out in the capital.

At least they can have the consolation of a bumper payday for the club, with gate receipts and bar takings bound to swell the coffers.

Club officials offered no excuses for their side's poor performance but pointed out that Skipton had come a long way in a short space of time and this semi-final would be seen as just another stepping stone on their revival.