Dalton lifted their fifth trophy of the season when they defeated Ulverston A 40-16 in the Barrow & District League Top Four final at Craven Park last Friday night.

The league champions were off to a flying start and though the margin was 24 points the team from Dragley Beck never gave up the chase in the match that brought down the curtain on the Barrow & District season.

They fought tooth and nail to stay in contention, but Dave High's boys were more fluent with ball in hand. They are not afraid to let the ball do the work as they spread it the width of the field at speed.

This is where they got the upper hand but Ulverston stuck to the task and only trailed 20-12 at the break.

The game was barely two minutes old when the Crooklands side were crossing the whitewash as Jack Gordon and Elliott Stockdale put Harri Brown into space and the centre romped home for an unconverted try.

They then lost Ben Atkinson a minute later with a hamstring pull. On four minutes, Dalton were in again when good approach work from Joe Crarey and Ryan Baines found Nathan Park in the line and he galloped over for Pat Kelly to convert.

Ulverston were only finding their feet but were staring a cricket score in their faces after this early double blow. However, they were lifted on six minutes when Dalton lost possession.

Brad Williamson made inroads to the line, from where Marc Dixon forced his way over from the play the ball, and 'Dinger' Bell tagged on the goal to reduce the gap to 10-6.

Dalton almost replied when Park crossed for what looked like his second try after good work from Gordon and Baines, but a forward pass denied them.

Dalton continued to press and when the ball swept across the field, Scott Paisley touched down out wide before Jack Crarey burst through a gap to score from 20 yards out on the half hour, Kelly adding the goal for 20-6.

Joe Crarey then sent Gordon haring to the line, but on hand with a try-saving tackle was Howard Rowley. Ulverston were now coming more into the frame, with Williamson, Dixon and Shepherd to the fore, and with two minutes of the half remaining, it was Shepherd who burst through to touch down, Bell converting.

This spurred on the lads from Dragley Beck as they applied pressure early in the second half, with Bell being hauled down two yards short by four defenders.

At the other end, Joe Crarey was upended in the tackle and from the tap, his long ball found Sam Purslow who was in at the corner only for a double movement to be ruled.

On 50 minutes, Baines fell to another try-saving tackle from Rowley but on hand to cross the whitewash was Tyler Batty, with Joe Crarey converting for 26-12.

Paisley (2) and Gordon crossed for further tries with Joe Crarey adding one goal, while Joe Akrigg going over for Ulverston.