REDUCED to 14 men for the entire second half through injury, Prudhoe and Stocksfield summoned all their strength for their first win of the season.

They travelled to the Boys Brigade Old Boys of Hartlepool already without nine players after the squad was decimated from last week's game against leaders Richmondshire, and things further transpired against them when influential skipper Jack Liddle was taken off on 35 minutes.

Yet the reduced numbers only seemed to spur the men in red, white and blue on and they overturned the 14-10 deficit with two second half tries sealing the glory.

With just 15 men making the trip, players were asked to play in unfamiliar positions with Matty Nevin switching from winger to blindside flanker and Ryan Chamberlain in the second row engine room impressing most.

Prudhoe started well though and scrum half Chris Patterson seized on a small gap to make a fine blindside break only to be reeled in with 10 metres to go. However, his great awareness saw him offload the ball to Liddle for the visitors' first try of the game.

The score was well converted by Steven Henderson, who was extending the score soon after as his penalty took the score to 10-0.

But the home side came back hard and capitalised on a couple of errors to score twice in quick succession, putting Hartlepool 14-10 ahead.

The hosts looked to keep the pressure on but then came a major turning point when, with Hartlepool opting to kick a pen into touch close to the Prudhoe try line, Jonathon Dodds leapt like a salmon to keep the ball in play and allowed his side to clear the danger.

Liddle's injury five minutes before half time appeared a setback at first, but a galvanised P&S made sure they couldn't use it as an excuse.

They enjoyed spells of possession in midfield, and from nowhere came Luke Masters who burst through the centres to score a fine try, which was again converted by Henderson.

Henderson's tactical kicking and use of ball in hand was keeping Prudhoe on top and he sent over one final successful conversion after Yannick Debil, at 12, spotted a gap and zoomed through from 25 metres to score under the post and take the score to 24-14.

Hartlepool never gave up and earned a losing bonus point with a try with the final play of the game, but Prudhoe take the win into Saturday's home game with Chester-le-Street, who likewise won for the first time at the weekend.