Yorkshire Shield: Bradford & Bingley 34 Driffield 14

IF IT was a calculated risk by Bradford & Bingley to throw in the young half-back pairing of Sam Murphy and Harry Collis for their Yorkshire Shield quarter-final against Driffield it was a gamble that paid off handsomely.

Not only had the 19-year-old Murphy and 22-year-old Collis - whose combined ages are a year shy of birthday boy, prop Ryan Wederell - never played for the Bees first team before, they had never played as a partnership at second-team level either.

"I really enjoyed it," admitted teenager Murphy, the Newcastle University agriculture business management student who is the son of former Bees stalwart Andy.

"It was my first proper run-out against adults - a proper experience. It was quite a big step-up, a lot more physical, a lot harder, but I am used to playing against big boys so wasn't afraid to take the line on."

Murphy, who was with Yorkshire Carnegie's Academy for four years from the age of 15 and has represented Yorkshire Under-20s, added: "I normally play at 9, but in my last year at Bradford Grammar School last year I played at 10.

"I thought that Harry played well and we worked well together."

Wilsden-based Collis, a former St Bede's pupil who played for about 45 minutes, said: "They were horrible conditions, muddy underfoot and my calves are killing me now, but it was nice to get out there.

"It was a really good partnership with Sam, who was always noisy, talking to me all the time and I can't fault the lad - he is a really good player.

"The team performance was brilliant from the beginning and we just put our foots to their throats and never let up, never shied out of a tackle, defended great and just sealed the deal in attack.

"I have been playing for the second team for three or four years now but it is always nice to step up to the firsts and the breakdown is cleaner at that level so it is a little easier at times."

The Bees, who are eighth in North One East, got off to a flier on a Wagon Lane first-team pitch that was as badly cut up as I have seen it recently, and were leading 17-0 after 21 minutes via tries by right winger Cameron Bainbridge and centre Semi Maasi, both converted by full back Lance Taylor, who also added a penalty.

Driffield made a poor start, booting the ball dead from the kick-off and then conceding a penalty at the ensuing scrum, and they also made a hash of the first try for the hosts.

Bainbridge hacked the ball forward three times, but his third kick skewed off the inside of his right foot and seemed to have been smothered by Driffield's defence, only for the ball to squirm free and allow the right winger to drop on it.

Taylor's conversion was excellent and the Bees almost added a second try five minutes later, only to knock on with the line in sight.

Another ball on the deck was hacked forward by Maasi in the 15th minute and he dropped on it for the second try, with Taylor again adding the extras, this time from the left.

The Bees full back popped over a penalty as he continued his sure-footed striking in the 21st minute, but North One East leaders Driffield, who gave debuts to four players - hooker Laurance Mason, locks Simon Walgate and Dave Brant and winger Owen Scurry - hit back with a try just before half-time.

Flanker Mathew Jenkinson charged down Murphy's attempted clearance in the 35th minute and No 8 Adam Brankley was on hand to pick up the pieces, with the try being converted by scrum half James Watts.

It seemed that the visitors' physicality might hurt the hosts in the second half, but the Wagon Laners kept them at arm's length via a second Bainbridge try in the 46th minute that came from a Maasi interception and was again improved by Taylor to make it 24-7.

Prop Dan Maling then made a strong carry for Driffield and his effort was rewarded when centre Ben Dinsdale picked a good line to go through at pace for their second try, with Watts adding the conversion once more.

Taylor eased any nerves with a 53rd-minute penalty after Driffield had been penalised for standing up in a scrum, but the home side had flanker Heimulu Taffa sin-binned a minute later for not releasing in the tackle.

Any alarms at being a man down dissipated with Bainbridge's hat-trick try out of nothing in the 58th minute, with Taylor's attempted conversion bouncing back off the far upright.

Replacement Oliver Borman was convinced that he had scored Driffield's third try in the 73rd minute, only for referee Jeff Hudson (South Yorkshire Society) to rule held up, and a minute later replacement Ali Macdonald ensured that there was no late East Yorkshire comeback with the Bees' fifth try.

Murphy said: "It was a bit of a dogfight in the mud - the pitch wasn't really suitable for running rugby - but we worked hard, luck was on our side and we got tries from interceptions and kick-throughs due to us pressurising them and forcing errors, and I don't think that we were ever worried."

The Bees will now face Yorkshire Division One leaders Heath in their quarter-final, which is due to be played on January 25, and Murphy, who is only available intermittently due to travel and exams, said: "From what I have heard from the boys they are another big set of lads, but if we play like we did here defensively we will have a good shout."