Clayton booked themselves a spot in the Jack Senior Memorial Cup final after a battle royal with close rivals Queensbury at Hill Top.

Clayton clinched a 16-10 victory in a superb old-style derby that saw the teams hammer each other from the first minute to the last.

’Bury were on fire for the first ten minutes as they dominated possession and camped out on the Clayton line.

But it was Clayton, playing up the slope, that hit the home side with a classic sucker punch.

Off the back of a penalty for holding down, they piggy-backed up the field and hooker Phil Redgrave neatly dummied his way over to give the villagers a 4-0 lead.

Stand-off Dane Bairstow duly added the extras to extend the lead to six points.

’Bury continued to attack the Clayton line but on 20 minutes they were hit with yet another counter punch when Bairstow collected a pass to jink his way over.

The goal attempt was unsuccessful but ’Bury were left wondering how they could be 10-0 down after dominating so much of the play.

’Bury rallied again and a neat kick through from stand-off Josh Naylor was scrambled away by a desperate Clayton defence.

The visitors were able to extend their lead further on the half-hour mark when more ’Bury indiscipline saw them penalised for knees in the tackle. Bairstow stepped up to make it 12-0.

With the half coming to an end, ’Bury got themselves on the score sheet when, after some concerted pressure, Gareth Chambers crashed over. Forward Brett Marriott tagged on the conversion to put the home side right back in it at 12-6 going into the break.

Both sides came out fired up for the second half and Clayton took advantage of a penalty award when Bairstow hit the target to lift his side 14-6 ahead.

Both sides continued to put themselves on the line and referee Bob Ingham manfully managed to keep a lid on things as tempers frayed.

’Bury gave themselves a lifeline with ten minutes to go when the ball passed through a number of pairs of hands before centre Sam Poole crossed out wide. Marriott was unable to add the extras but the scene was set for a grandstand finish.

Bairstow attempted a drop goal for Clayton that went narrowly wide and, as the clocked ticked down, ’Bury rallied for one last effort.

They moved the ball out wide and winger Ashley Ryan dashed for the line, only to be denied by a last-gasp flying tackle from full back Ryan Goodchild, leaving Clayton to raise their arms in triumph at the final whistle.

Odsal Sedbergh will play Clayton in the final after a 21-18 defeat of Birkenshaw.

Few would have given Sedbergh a chance against a Birkenshaw team who play two divisions above them but anything can happen in the cup.

Graham Harrison, Jason Marshall and Adam Moffatt all posted tries, while Robert Priestley got the score that was to prove decisive.