VALE of Lune under-13s lost their biggest match of an excellent season to their biggest rivals as Waterloo claimed the EFE Challenge Cup at Blackpool.

It seemed that it was the Vale taking the immediate upper hand on a bone hard pitch, creating good pressure and pinning Waterloo down. The defence eventually broke down as the back line panicked, leaving the gap Hobbs needed to open the scoring for the Vale.

But Waterloo immediately took the bull by the horns to set up an impressive counter attack, sucking the Vale players into the breakdown and fragmenting the defence, giving their backs clean ball to run into the corner and level the scores.

The physically bigger Waterloo side began to turn the screw, snuffing out Vale's valiant attempts at attack and building a healthy 27-5 winning margin which saw them claim the crown.

* VALE OF LUNE: L Arbon, A Belshire, M Crewdson, J Dorrington, J Dixon, J Edwards, S Ellis, D Entwistle, H Fellows, A Hall, D Hall, J Hobbs, R Kingston, S Moorby, J Mulryan, T Ridley, J Roberts, J Skivington, C Swarbrick, T Vaughan-Jones, A Waite, B Wilkinson, M Williams.

* Vale of Lune's annual club dinner takes place on Friday, May 4, in the Powder House Lane clubhouse.

Tickets for the 40th annual event (7.30pm for 8pm) are on sale priced at £20 from the commercial office.

* VALE of Lune senior colts are up for the cup after reaching the final of the Halbro Senior Colts League Plate.

Vale beat Winnington Park 19-13 to reach the final, which will take place on Sunday. The locals face Stockport in the game.