DURHAM president Jim Ainslie saw his personal cloud produce a silver lining on Saturday, when Durham beat Eastern Counties 30-20 in the final of the County Championship Plate at Hartlepool Rovers.

Ainslie, the Durham team manager before he ascended to high office last season, saw his presidency cut short by a heart attack.

But his county colleagues re-elected him for another term to compensate for his disappointment and he saw his team carry off the trophy in their first final appearance since meeting Yorkshire in the championship proper at Twickenham in 1994.

"To be involved with this team and this success as county president has been a real privilege for me," he said.

"This is a smashing set of lads and our coaches Ali McConway and Magnus Leask have done a marvellous job in bringing them together so well.

"I'm sure they will both go on to greater things.

"It was a great day for the county, with our secretary Chris McLoughlin doing a terrific job as the RFU representative charged with handling all the arrangements.

"The crowd was probably twice as many as we've had for our other home games and in the end we deserved our win.

"It's been a team effort by everyone involved from first to last and I'm just proud to have been associated with it. We've had a few lean years and it's nice to be on the other end now and again."

The boot of Middlesbrough full-back Simon Moore, who notched 266 points for his club last season, was again invaluable to Durham.

He landed six penalties and a conversion, while two Durham University players, replacement fly-half Alistair Simmie and wingman Oliver Brennand, scored second-half tries to pull Durham clear after Moore's boot had given them a 12-8 half-time lead.

Eastern Counties finished ahead on the try count, with wingman Tom Holt from Saffron Walden, hooker Gideon Roussow (North Walsham) and centre Adam Gowan (North Walsham) all touching down.