Promotion decider for North Midlands

8:30pm Sunday 11th May 2008

NORTH Midlands set up a promotion showdown with Northumberland in the County Championship Shield with a 36-19 win over Cumbria at Stourbridge.

North Mids, who were relegated from the Bill Beaumont Cup last season, are making a determined bid to win promotion at the first attempt but will have to travel to Tynedale to play Northumberland in the north group decider on Saturday. The winners will progress to the Shield final at Twickenham on June 1.

Worcester Warriors academy flanker Jake Abbott gave North Mids the lead with a fourth-minute try, but Cumbria were soon back level.

North Mids then extended their advantage to 17-7 the break.

Malvern wing Ryan Henshaw scored North Midlands' third try before replacement hooker Richard Protherough, a former King's School Worcester pupil, marked his county debut with a try.

Moseley centre Ollie Winter completed the scoring for the hosts with a well-worked try that was converted.

But Cumbria finished strongly, scoring two tries in three minutes to reduce the deficit in the dying minutes.

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