Heaton Moor Senior Colts 22-51 Lymm

Heaton Moor gave a talented Lymm side a huge scare in the final of the League Cup before being blown away in the last quarter.

Lymm got their first score on the board after four minutes at Moor’s Green Lane, a penalty for a high tackle, and five minutes later they extended the lead with a try.

Moor hit back on 15 minutes when try-machine Asa Bottomley brilliantly intercepted and run almost the full length of the pitch to score under the posts, with Nick Tenney adding the conversion.

The self-belief in the ‘home’ side was suddenly evident and they started harassing their much-heralded opponents.

But in a four-minute spell around the half-hour mark Lymm scored two quick tries, one of which they converted, and suddenly, approaching the break, the visitors had opened up a commanding 13-point lead.

Again, Moor showed great resilience. Shane Ennis was having a colossal game at second-row, hitting everything that moved.

Then, James Bellis picked up a ball from a rare loose Lymm pass and in an awesome counter-attack through Joe Kilbride and Tenney, Emilio Ramirez showed his searing pace and strength, touching down to cut the gap to eight points at half-time.

The third quarter of the game was a stunning spectacle, both teams going toe-to-toe in a wonderful encounter.

Ten minutes in, man-of-the-match Shane Ennis scored a deserved try, and the gap was now just three points and Moor were in with a brilliant chance.

Heaton Moor were starting to get the better of exchanges, but Lymm grabbed two tries – followed by three more in the last 12 minutes – to take the silverware.

So, there was to be no last hurrah for this side, who have had a great run in the last four years with four final appearances and two Lancashire Cup wins under the guidance of Chris Barrett, James Brennan, Nigel Glanfield and Paul Bailey.