Although the Billingham side was clearly more experienced than the Mowden youngsters, it was they who found it hardest to get going, and their opponents swarmed all over them for the first fifteen minutes. A series of line breaks culminated in influential scrum half, Lee Ratcliff, putting Callum Burke in for a try on five minutes, in what was the first significant act in the tireless second row's man-of-the-match performance. Fly half, Sam Allan, added the extras, and six minutes later he was going in himself, as he showed great dexterity in claiming an offload to outstrip Billingham's cover. A simple penalty goal on 16 minutes steadied the Billingham ship, but 12 - 3 soon became 19 - 3, as livewire centre, Will Murray, ghosted through the middle for a try converted by Allan. On the half hour, Mowden's over-ambitious attempt at running the ball out of their own 22 gifted it to the opposition backs, and they had little to do to score under the posts; the extras pulling the score back to 19 - 10, where it stayed until the break.

DMP's talk at half time was all about keeping the ball alive to make the big Billingham pack work, but instead they got bogged down in a series of scruffy rucks, one of which led to a quick penalty, and a converted try for their opponents. At 19 - 17 the Mowden alarm bells would undoubtedly have started ringing, but they didn't have time, as their very next possession saw centre, Michael Hoyt go round his marker for a fine score. With Allan off the field, hooker Mark Bell stepped up to land a very good conversion, and his side led by nine at 26 - 17. As Billingham strived to get back into the game, they over-committed at several rucks, and the resulting penalties kept them pegged back in their own 22 for much of the next ten minutes. A five-metre line-out, expertly gathered by Luca Petillo, led to a textbook driving maul, and Bell timed his insurgence to perfection to claim the try. 31 - 17 with eleven minutes to go was not a winning lead, however, so still Mowden pushed on. A similar driving maul broke down, but as players fought for the ball at the back of the melee, Bell again took decisive action, picking it up and crashing over to complete his brace. He composed himself for another fine conversion, and his side were home and dry at 38 - 17. It might have been fitting if this had been the game's final score, but Billingham never lie down, and they were rewarded for their persistence with the last try of the game, as a centre jinked through the Mowden rearguard to take the final score to 38 - 22.

Mowden's stalwart skipper, Chris Dodd, stepped up to receive the trophy from County President, John Dove, and all agreed that he and his young side had well and truly earned it. The success is just reward for the effort shown by every player in a tough, but enjoyable season.