THE Quality Street Gang's brave assault on the North Riding Festival Sevens ended in defeat after they were brushed aside by eventual winners Marauders.

The QSG, who are run by supporters from York RUFC, were not helped in the run up by the loss of Otley's Phil Greaves and Harrogate flier James Tapster on the eve of the Scarborough-based tournament, especially as Marcus Smith and Matthew Stockdale had also pulled out earlier.

Malton and Norton came to the rescue with the Gannock club supplying a total of five players to the squad, but the strength of the rival sides was just too much.

Having initially lost their opening pool game to the Crusaders, the Gang beat Jedi to make it through to the knockout stages.

However, they faced a strong Marauders side led by the British Army skipper Howard Graham in the last eight and could not find a way of stopping the eventual champions.

The QSG chairman, Ricky Richardson said: "We had a great day and the lads did well. We weren't disheartened to lose as it was a tough tournament.

"Even if we had had the original squad that we had selected then I think that we might have only got to the semi-finals."

Ian Cooke, Neil Gilbertson and Dave Webster stepped in to join fellow Malton team-mates Chris Creber and Willie Barber in the squad, while Rob Karma, Stu Davies (both York), James Tiffany and Chris Kendra (both Otley) made up the side.

Tiffany and Karma even played for the Wakefield in the quarter-finals to help make up the numbers for the National One outfit, but they couldn't prevent them losing to Samurai.

Marauders went on to beat Northumberland University, extra time winners over Samurai in the last four, in the final, while Crusaders won the Bowl final.

Updated: 11:34 Thursday, May 15, 2003