Old Grovians 66, Halifax Vandals 23 

With the sun shining and conditions suiting open, running rugby, champions Old Grovians produced a dazzling performance, scoring ten tries and amassing their highest points tally in a single SSE Yorkshire Division Four game this season.

This fixture was postponed after snow prevented it being played in March and, as a result, Old Grovians were forced to ring the changes with seven regular starters missing but the standard of their attacking play lacked nothing in flair and enterprise and they were ahead inside five minutes.

Stout defence in midfield forced Vandals to spill posession and Ricky Hopkinson - making his first start in six months - went half the length of the field to score the opening try.

Fellow centre Dominic Copsey was soon touching down as well. His break from halfway, with a sublime step to beat the final man, gave the home side a 12-0 lead.

A penalty got Halifax Vandals on the scoreboard but that was brief respite as Old Grovians were running the ball from all areas.

Winger Ben Magee, with searing pace, broke from inside his own 22 before supplying Dean Hogg with a pass and a clear run to the line.

Moments later, Hogg had his second try of the game - Old Grovians fourth to secure the bonus point.

There was still time for a fifth try before the break, Hopkinson running a great line to open up the visitors' defence before side-stepping his way into the final defender but Anthony Cadman was on hand to collect the ball, showing his team-mate how to step past the tackler and score the try (although the exersion took its toll as he left the field with a pulled calf muscle!)

Old Grovians held a 33-3 lead at the interval and the second half began in much the same vein as the first, with Hopkinson and Joel Bradley exchanging passes in a lightning quick Old Grovians break, allowing Hopkinson to score his second try.

But, to their credit, Halifax Vandals showed no sign of quitting.

They knew a single point would be enough to see them finish the season above close rivals Halifax in the table and, as Old Grovians rang the changes, Vandals increased their intensity.

Their flanker and No 8 scored in the space of four minutes to give them hope and, although Old Grovians skipper Chris Blackhall and debutant Josh Strauss both crossed the line for the home side, Vandals had their third try with ten minutes remaining after their fly half was rewarded for his persistence and wriggled his way over the line.

The roar from the Vandals players that greeted their fourth try on 76 minutes showed how much it meant to the club and was well deserved - their lock forward claimed the score and the all-important bonue point.

The try was also significant as it means Vandals were the only side to score four tries against Old Grovians in a game this season.

It was the divisional champions who had the final word though.

Flanker Tom Whitehead, displaying a subtle touch with his left boot that few knew he possessed, place a perfectly-weighted kick behind the defence which allowed winger Joe Sowden to race onto it and score.

Old Grovians finished the season in emphatic style with another break from their own 22 in the final move of the match.

Full back Ben Brown - a revelation since moving to that position at the start of the season - opened up the Vandals defence before feeding Magee, who crossed for the try.

Ultimately both teams got what they wanted from the game but for Old Grovians this result capped another fine performance in what has been a truly memorable campaign.

They lost just one game all season and can now look forward to a new challenge and new experiences at a new level.