THERE are no fairy stories on rugby fields. Vandals hopes of doing the double over Skipton in League and Cup disintegrated in the second-half as the home side applied increasing pressure.

Vandals were strong up front and despite robust defence in the first 15 minutes, Skipton were driven over for a converted push-over try. The home crowd feared a repeat of last week, but a great interception by skipper Hamish Munro and a break-out by Charlie Brown, Josh Nkwo and Joe Stapleton brought Skipton close. Stapleton caught an ankle injury at the breakdown and was replaced by Chris Wilkinson.

Skipton held field position and Munro was soon over for the home side's first try, his fifth in five games. Jamie Barker added the extra points to level the score.

Skipton Coach Craig Bartlett brough Tom Allsop into the front row to steady the Skipton scrum, but the home side conceded a penalty within kickable range and the visitors slotted the kick to go 10-7 ahead.

Skipton scrum-half Jack McLeod was on fire for the next 10 minutes, collecting the ball from the re-start and taking a sharp tap and run from repeated scrum offences by the vandals, but Skipton were held up each time and the sides turned round at 10-7 in the visitors' favour.

Skipton made a great start to the second half, taking the scrum back, and within minutes Wilkinson was over for try number two in the corner. The conversion attempt went wide.

Vandals gained a penalty from the re-start and slotted the kick to re-take the lead. An unfortunate yellow card for McLeod put Skipton on the back foot, and another yellow card for Charlie Brown added to their woe. The penalty kick went into the corner and the Vandals were over for try number two. The conversion attempt went wide.

Skipton responded immediately and exerted wave after wave of pressure on the Vandals' line, with Wilkinson going over for the home side's third try. Stand-off Daren Howson converted to put the home side ahead by a point at 19-18.

A late penalty to Skipton bounced off the cross-bar from Jamie Barker to increase Skipton's lead to 22-18.

A moment of magic from Howson in the final minutes saw him chip through to put Barker over for Skipton's fourth try. Barker added the extra points himself to give a final score of 29-18.