"Absolutely gutted" was the only way York Ironsides coach Alfie Hill could sum up his feelings after watching his side lose out on the Fairfax Cup for the third time in a row.

Competition newcomers West Indies Wahoos announced their arrival in dramatic style after knocking out last year's winners FC Lezignan Corbieres in the quarter-finals before going on to take the final in extra time.

It was the third year in a row that the amateur rugby league select side from the York area had missed out on the prize, having been beaten in the semi-finals in the inaugural 2002 event and coming second to Lezignan in last year's final.

But this was the closest yet and despite the huge support of the partisan crowd, the Ironsides missed out by the narrowest of margins as man of the match Danny Mills, the Sheffield Eagles star, did all the running for Selwyn St Bernard to score the golden points in the corner.

Hill said: "We're absolutely gutted because this is not the first time it's happened and I really thought we were going to win it today, but once again, one or two decisions went against us and we missed out.

"The tournament as a whole was pretty good, but we're just disappointed we didn't do better."

The West Indies, in only their second-ever tournament, fielded a squad featuring players based all over the country, including New Earswick All Blacks' Matt Godfrey. They had a man sent off in their semi-final for tripping but he escaped suspension and so they had a full squad for the final.

The Ironsides took first blood in the game after a highly-charged opening when Johnny Waldron took a Shaun Austerfield pass to open the scoring on the stroke of half time.

Joe Brown restored parity soon after but Luke Judson put the Ironsides back in front almost immediately after, with Kev Brundrett kicking the extras to make it 10-4. But Mills then powered through the Ironsides defence for a converted try to send the tie into golden point territory.

Brundrett's quick-thinking drop goal attempt to win the tie went well wide and eventually the West Indies' speed cut through the Ironsides, much to former York player Dean Thomas' delight in his new capacity as West Indies manager.

He said: "It's been absolutely superb. The highlight for me was playing against a local team in the final with an awful lot of local connections for me."

The tournament itself attracted similar numbers to last year's tournament despite horrific weather conditions on Saturday and more than a thousand local rugby league fans travelling to Hull KR yesterday to watch the Knights in their big semi-final.

Cross-code challengers York RUFC made it to the final of the York City Knights Shield, but were beaten 10-20 by the South Asia Bulls during a freak sudden downpour, with man of the match Ikram Butt, the former England international, scoring two quality tries.

And the Collier Waste Solutions Plate was won by the Academic Lions in a 16-0 whitewash of Bramley Buffaloes.

All the results from York International 9s Tournament

York International 9s Tournament

(at Heworth ARL Club, Elm Park Way)

Group A

Lezignan-Corbieres 26, Academic Lions 0; Worcester Saints 4, Newcastle Knights 16; Lezignan-Corbieres 10, Worcester Saints 0; Academic Lions 8, Newcastle Knights 8; Lezignan-Corbieres 16, Newcastle Knights 0; Academic Lions 12, Worcester Saints 10.

Group A standings: Lezignan-Corbieres 6pts, Newcastle Knights 3, Academic Lions 3, Worcester Saints 0.

Group B

West Indies 18, South Asia Bulls 14; Cambridge Eagles 0, York Tigers 8; West Indies 8, Cambridge Eagles 0; South Asia Bulls 10, York Tigers 12; West Indies 16, York Tigers 14; South Asia Bulls 8, Cambridge Eagles 0.

Group B standings: West Indies 6pts, York Tigers 4, South Asia Bulls 2, Cambridge Eagles 0.

Group C

British Army 25, Royal Navy 8; Essex Eels 16, Bramley Buffaloes 20; British Army 24, Essex Eels 4; Royal Navy 16, Bramley Buffaloes 10; British Army 18, Bramley Buffaloes 0; Royal Navy 14, Essex Eels 4.

Group C standings: British Army 6pts, Royal Navy 4, Bramley Buffaloes 2, Essex Eels 0.

Groups D and E

York RU 4, Glasgow Bulls 12; SO Avignon 4, Glasgow Bulls 16; Glasgow Bulls 6, Lancaster 6; SO Avignon 8, Lancaster 4; SO Avignon 16, York RU 14.

Groups D and E standings: Glasgow Bulls 5pts, SO Avignon 4, Lancaster 1, York RU 0. All four go through after four teams dropped out.

Group F

York Ironsides 8, Montpellier 4; Bristol Sonics 6, Cumbria 28; York Ironsides 18, Bristol Sonics 6; Montpellier 10, Cumbria 12; York Ironsides 16, Cumbria 0; Montpellier 10, Bristol Sonics 14.

Group F standings: York Ironsides 6pts, Cumbria 4, Bristol Sonics 2, Montpellier 0.

Fairfax Cup

Last 16: Lezignan-Corbieres 8, York RU 0; West Indies 8, Bramley Buffaloes 0; British Army 18, Cumbria 14; York Tigers 16, Bristol Sonics 4; Glasgow Bulls 22, Lancaster 6; Royal Navy 16, Montpellier 0; Avignon 12, Academic Lions 8; York Ironsides 14, South Asia Bulls 10.

Collier Waste Solutions Plate

(for teams who didn't qualify for

Fairfax Cup)

Quarter-finals: Essex Eels 10, Bramley Buffaloes 16; Worcester Saints 10, Bristol Sonics 12.

Semi-finals: Bramley Buffaloes 12, Bristol Sonics 8; Academic Lions 14, Worcester Saints 6.

Final: Bramley Buffaloes 0, Academic Lions 16.

York City Knights Shield

(for teams knocked out in last 16 of Fairfax Cup)

Quarter-finals: York RU 16, Bramley Buffaloes 12; Cumbria 24, Bristol Sonics 4; Lancaster 8, Montpellier 0; Academic Lions 14, South Asia Bulls 16.

Semi-finals: Cumbria 4, York RU 9; Lancaster 10, South Asia Bulls 16.

Final: York RU 10, South Asia Bulls 20.

Fairfax Cup

Quarter-finals: Lezignan-Corbieres 4, West Indies 8; British Army 14, York Tigers 4; Royal Navy 16, Glasgow Bulls 18; York Ironsides 20, Avignon 0.

Semi-finals: West Indies 14, British Army 4; Glasgow Bulls 6, York Ironsides 8.

Final: West Indies 14, York Ironsides 10 (10-10 after normal time).

Updated: 10:10 Monday, June 28, 2004