Whitehall, although missing 11 regular players, managed to scrape a team together and began this match in a determined mood.

The re-shuffled side saw wingman Marcus Gill thrown into the 2^nd row and veteran Dave Beaumont at Prop.

Ovenden started strongly with the front row of Eric March, Rob Smith and Mark Bailey doing their utmost to reduce the deficit but were coming up against the equally determined defence of Richard Casanove, Simon Howland and Pete Williams.

Whitehall’s halfbacks, Baz and Paul Stead, were controlling this match in the early period but, as often happens, Ovenden got a try against the run of play.

This stunned Whitehall into a frenzied attack and Andy Sadler and Gareth Simpson were held short of the line but there was no stopping James Spivey as he forced his way over for the try.

Ovenden surged back and had the Warriors pinned on their own line. Looking for an opening, they threw the ball out wide but Whitehall’s speedy centre Alex Scargill read the play and intercepted to go the full length of the pitch to score in the corner.

With the half-time score at 19-4, including the 11 point handicap, Whitehall at least had a cushion with the slope to face.

As expected, Ovenden started the onslaught down the hill but Whitehall’s old heads Paul Johnson and Richard Spivey led their defence superbly and kept these assailants at bay.

With no substitutes to call on it was only a matter of time before Ovenden cracked the tiring Warriors resistance and a couple of quick tries followed, bringing Ovenden to within 1 point at 19-18.

Time was running out and Whitehall’s Walmsley, Sadler and captain Baz Stead pulled off try saving tackles to deny Ovenden but their relentless pressure paid off when they worked a nice drop off move to wrong foot the gallant Warriors defence and score a converted try.

One last effort from Pete Williams and Pep Scargill was snuffed out and right on the full time whistle, Johnny Taylor, Ovenden’s stand off, decoyed his way over for the final converted try to send his team through to the semi-final against Illingworth.

Whitehall’s next match is at league leader Slaithwaite Saracens on Saturday 5^th April.