Hartlepool came up with the biggest upset in the second round of the Canada Life Denny Cup with a dramatic victory over Cumbria, winners of the national inter-club competition for the past two years.

Cumbria, finalists in four of the last five years and winners on three occasions, started firm favourites to make progress.

But resurgent Hartlepool came up trumps after a titanic struggle.

When the result from the away leg at Cumbria was received Hartlepool were two shots clear, thanks to a last end five count by Cliff Simpson and a moment of inspiration from John Wells, when he turned a seven-shot deficit into a single shot advantage.

This left only the Ian Jackson - Stephen Farish match to finish and they had two ends left to play.

Jackson held the advantage until Farish "killed" the end. On the replay Cumbria held shot but the Hartlepool skip drove the jack into the ditch for two priceless shots.

The final end saw Farish holding four counters, but Jackson fired the jack into the ditch, with his "toucher" finishing in an unbeatable position as the Durham County player took a richly-deserved lap of honour.

Scores (Cumbria first) - At Cumbria: Andrew Baxter 21, Joe Gibson 9; Stuart Airey 14, Cliff Simpson 26. At Hartlepool: Trevor Taylor 17, John Wells 18; Steve Farish 17, Ian Jackson 21. Cumbria 69, Hartlepool 74.

Stanley were given a hard fight by Newcastle, but the North West Durham outfit were 88-78 victors and earned the right to challenge old rivals Hartlepool. Darlington failed to progress against Blackpool Borough, losing 85-77, but Saltburn gained an 88-79 success over Metrodome (Barnsley) and now face Thornaby in the next round next Saturday. The Teessiders swamped Scarborough 103-54.

The Hartlepool revival has much to do with the influence of newly-appointed team manager Mal Hughes - on the sidelines - and team captain Cliff Simpson, who was in the thick of the action.

The determination to blend the team together was evident in the Domnick Hunter Durham County Inter Club league game against Gateshead, when all four rinks which played against Cumbria the previous day were again in action, and Hartlepool, predictably, gleaned all 12 points.

Rink scores (Gateshead first) - At Gateshead: D Webb 13, A Hartley 21; P Moyle 10, J Gibson 25; A Newton 17, C Simpson 27. At Hartlepool: T Birdsey 11, J Wells 22; T Wilson 9, I Jackson 15; S Birdsey 13, K Brallisford 16