Teachers managed to stave off a fierce challenge from a Bermuda Select side in sloppy conditions to salvage a draw in the 11th annual Denton Hurdle Memorial game on Sunday.

Pouring rain turned the field into a mud bath and the ball became increasingly difficult to handle, hampering attempts by both sides to create fluid play.

Instead, it turned into a battle of the forwards and the kickers as both sides worked to secure the ball and boot it up field in search of better position.

The Rest and Teachers did manage to get some passing movements started -- to the delight of the spectators -- but most were thwarted when the last slippery pass went to ground and was pounced on by defenders.

Revitalised when fly half Phil Heaney pushed his penalty kick wide, Reds replied with a long march which took them to the Rest goal line but despite strong runs from Freedom Burrows and Dennis Cherry couldn't score.

The Rest replied with a linking counter attack involving Heaney and full back Neville Ross which went the length of the field and put centre Keith Hodgkins in for the try which was converted.

Reds surged forward again through scrum half Andrew Correia's weaving runs and solid front jumping in the line out by Cherry and found themselves on the Rest goal line again.

But continued pressure by Reds was thwarted by the Rest back row's tackling and by the interval they had not scored.

After the restart Reds again found themselves defending but centre Nathan Browne changed the direction of play with a long kick. Burrows was brought down close to the Rest line and Correia scooped up the ball and drove over for the score, which was converted by Ross Webber.

Tempers began to fray on the Reds, resulting in a series of penalties. Heaney managed to slot one of these over to put his side in the lead with 20 minutes to go. An infringement cost Rest the win as Reds were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, which Webber converted for the draw.