Skipton Bulldogs hopes of completing a second Cup and League double in successive seasons were dashed when Cross Hills beat them 2-1 in the Northern Plant Hire Challenge Cup final at Barnoldswick United.

The result left both teams on level terms at the end of a dreadfully disjointed season, Bulldogs taking the Craven League's Silentnight Premier Division title and runners-up spot in the Northern Plant Hire knockout and Cross Hills taking the cup and second place in the league.

In this match, however, the winners were good value for their success, for it was only in the last ten minutes, when striving desperately to get back into the game, that the Bulldogs offered any serious threat.

The occasion was not quite what Craven League officials were hoping for given the recent warm weather. It was a foul night, with only a hardcore of supporters on hand to see a hard-fought contest which stayed well within the bounds of sportsmanship.

For much of the game, Cross Hills were more composed and solid at the back on a night when continuous rain and a slippery surface made ball control and the weighting of passes a difficult test.

Bulldogs also tended to try to make headway with individual thrusts, which, given the quality and depth of the Cross Hills defence, was always destined to fail.

On the night they had no-one who could find a way past two tight-marking defenders, but neither could they lay the ball off as quickly as they needed to.

With conditions underfoot firm, but tricky in terms of close control, defences were largely in control, with Robert Smith and John Harrison very solid figures at the heart of the Cross Hills defence and Andrew Shaw giving energetic support.

There were touches of quality from Chris Simpson, but too often when Bulldogs did get themselves into a position to threaten, ball control let them down.

Cross Hills also had the benefit of weathering a spell of early pressure - during which Ian Bernard had the best chance of a score only to see his chip miss the open goal - before they went ahead after 27 minutes.

Harrison was the scoring from a free-kick, his powerful header from the right into the far corner giving James Wiggan no chance.

Cross Hills then had Stephen Holden blasting over the top when another shooting chance arrived, but Smith matched Harrison's effort to make it 2-0 when Cross Hills were awarded another free-kick.

There were more purpose and energy in the Bulldogs effort in the second half and they were only narrowly denied when they got the ball into the net from a close-range cross only to have the effort correctly ruled out because the ball had crossed the bye-line.

After 88 minutes, however, fortune did favour them to produce a few moments of real excitement. An intended cross by Chris Simpson struck Cross Hills full-back Andrew Holland en route to the area and looped wickedly beyond the reach of goal-keeper Nathan Barrett.

The score lifted the Dogs for a final onslaught and left Cross Hills obviously feeling the tension, but when their moment came to rescue what had mostly been a lost cause, Jimmy McConville saw his close-range shot hit the post and rebound to safety.

On the night, it was a piece of fortune Cross Hills deserved for overall, they were the better side. TONY SIMPSON.

oThe Craven League's Roll of Honour for the season is:

Silentnight Premier Division Champions - Skipton BulldogsRunners-up - Cross Hills

Division OneChampions - Bronte WanderersRunners-up - Carleton

Division TwoChampions - Ilkley YouthRunners-up - Lothersdale Athletic

Division ThreeChampions - WaddingtonRunners-up - Ingleton

Northern Plant Hire Challenge Cup: Cross Hills 2 Skipton Bulldogs 1

League Cup competition finals

Premier Division: Oxenhope Rec 1 Clitheroe United 0

Division One: Bronte Wanderers 2 Carleton 0

Division Two: Lothersdale Ath 4 Skipton LMS Res 1

Division Three: Waddington 2 Carleton Res 0