Norland ensure Cup triumph at the end

The game was on a neatly poised for the last 15 minutes with Norland just one point ahead at 23-22, courtesy of a Carl Rollinson drop goal on 58 minutes.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Bilton were pressing the Norland line and a score was looking probably to steal victory.

But Dave Green then threw out a long pass to the right and which was intervepted by Norland's Tom Cator who raced the length of the pitch to score under the posts, with Rollinson adding the extras to take the cup.

The first 40 minutes had been keenly contested, Warren Smithies struck first for Norland on 20 minutes with a well-taken try after he took the return pass from Rob Loughran to cross the whitewash, Rollinson added the conversion.

Bilton's elusive Dean Knaggs and Matt Sneed combined in an 80-metre move to put Lee Knaggs in at the right-hand side for an unconverted score to make it 6-4.

Just on the pitch for Norland, Cator, raced in at the left corner for an unconverted score to extend Norland's lead to 10-4.

Bilton felt hard done by when, on 40 minutes, a Scott Runkee try under the posts should have taken them in all square at the break, before the referee disallowed it following the touch judge's intervention.

Shortly after the restart, Norland's Tom Barker intercepted to raced 50 metres, after which Ben Rowen, backing up, touched down under the posts, with Rollinson adding the extras.

Runkee got on the score-sheet for Bilton collecting a Dave Green high kick, allowing Sneed to add the conversion to narrow the gap to 16-10.

From the restart, Norland collected the ball and Smithies collected his second, Rollinson adding the extras and then – three minutes later – a drop goal.

Bilton's Dean Knaggs then showed why he is one of the most exciting players around with a 70-metre weaving to go under the posts.

Five minutes later, Runkee charged in for his second, with Sneed goaling both to make it 23-22.

Bilton had further chances to seal it in the last five minutes before but Cator's swift intervention at the end denied them the cup.