Grand showon Eaton'srecord day

Dave Hadfield
Monday 24 July 2000 00:00 BST
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Dewsbury, last year's beaten grand finalists and this year's league leaders in the Northern Ford Premiership,rediscovered their most compelling form at exactly the right time to claim their place in this season's decider.

Dewsbury, last year's beaten grand finalists and this year's league leaders in the Northern Ford Premiership,rediscovered their most compelling form at exactly the right time to claim their place in this season's decider.

Expertly led by the record- breaking Barry Eaton, they were irresistible during the middle period of this game and there was never any doubt which side would represent Yorkshire at Gigg Lane next Saturday.

The key to Dewsbury's victory was a six-minute spell midway through the first half that brought them three converted tries and from which their visitors never recovered.

Dewsbury had been trailing to Nathan Antonik'searly efforts, with only a penalty from Eaton, which beat the 27-year-old club record for points in a season, to show for their assaults on what had seemed a solid Cougar defence.

What the record books do not show is how many of Dewsbury's tries over the last few years he has been instrumental in setting up, but he was largely responsible for opening the floodgates, his long passallowing Richard Agar torelease Dan Potter.

Almost immediately, Agar's kick bounced free for Nathan Graham to score and Daniel Frame's slick pass to Potter saw Eaton add a try to his goals.

Frame, the Australian second rower whose form in the latter stages of the season has been such a bonus for Dewsbury, was also involved in their fourth, his pass sending Richard Baker striding down the right and the winger kicking infield for Graham's second.

It continued in much the same vain after the break, with Dewsbury's midfield triangle of Eaton, Agar and Damien Ball still calling the tune. Potter made the ball available for Baker to touch down and Agar sent Adrian Flynn through for their sixth try, with Eaton, kicking immaculately, contributing his seventh goal.

Keighley in such good form coming into this game, gave a hint of what might have been with a try from Danny Seal, after a long-range run from Jason Lee.

Martin Wood, never able to exert his normal influence on this match, tagged on the goal, but it was a matter of little importance to Dewsbury.

Subject to the result of the grand final and the circuitous process of applying for promotion, they can dream of Super League rugby at the RamStadium.

Dewsbury: Graham; Baker, O'Meara, Potter, Flynn, Ball, Eaton, Williams, Mycoe, Haigh, Richardson, Frame, Agar. Substitutes used: Delaney, G Wood, Long, McDonald.

Keighley: Rushforth; Horne, Hanger, Hallas, Lee, Seal, Antonik, Lord, Ramshaw, Boothroyd, Harrison, Hughes, M Woods. Substitutes used: Walker, Pickles, Stephenson, Flicker.

Referee: S Presley (Castleford).

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