Hensingham Under-16s had to battle hard to make progress in the BARLA National Cup against a well organised and physical Hull Wyke team.
It finished 20-6 to Hensingham who will now travel to Blackbrook in the quarter-finals on April 17.
The onslaught of Storm Franklin had already left the pitch saturated and then poured yet more blustery rain on the players just as the game kicked off.
The second round tie had already been postponed once, but with Hull arriving the day before the visitors missed having to travel in the amber storm warning, so the game went ahead.
It was clear from the start that they were two well-matched teams, and for the first few minutes both sides looked for weaknesses in the opposition and opportunities to exploit them.
Hull opened the scoring with a break down the left-wing and good passing across the Hensingham posts for a converted try.
But the hosts immediately responded with a try from Zach Benson-Lester.
The game ebbed and flowed, but towards the end of the first half, Tom McKinney used his strength and speed to break through the Hull defence and touch down right under the sticks.
Luca Hiddleston fired over the conversion in the strong wind and pouring rain.
The second half saw Hensingham gain the upper hand as conditions worsened.
It was tough going but a large and vocal home crowd, along with a good contingent who had made the journey from Hull, gave the players plenty of encouragement.
Next to score was a battling Dylan Cromwell who forced his way through the Hull defenders on the left wing to crash over to the delight of his teammates and home supporters.
There was no time for complacency as this was still a game that Hull could win, but despite injuries to Fletcher Holgate, Benson-Lester and then McKinney, Hensingham now looked the stronger of the two teams.
Indeed they put the result beyond doubt in the final two minutes when Miller Dalton powered through to touch down, buried beneath a sea of muddy bodies.
Hiddleston’s second conversion added the extras as referee Neil Byers’ whistle blew.
Man of the match was awarded to Tom McKinney, but this was an excellent team performance on an energy-sapping, muddy pitch in appalling conditions, and a deserved win for Hensingham.
