Tynedale 24 v Alnwick 10 (Northumberland Cup Final)
Tynedale eventually overcame a determined, highly motivated Alnwick side to win the Northumberland Senior Cup and ensure qualification for next year's National Tetley Bitter Cup.
In warm, bright and windless conditions Tynedale kicked off and started strongly in the opening ten minutes with Moses missing a kickable penalty within the first minute. Moses quickly made up for his early miss when he put Tynedale ahead after 5 minutes with another penalty although he did miss another chance 4 minutes later. At this stage Alnwick had not been in the game but they then began to take the game to Tynedale with some good lineout play and capitalised on a stream of penalties.
Alnwick missed a penalty chance after 16 minutes but were rewarded for their icommitted play when they drove over from a lineout, converting to make it 3-7. At this stage it was all Alnwick who tackled tremendously for the entire match. Tynedale were lucky not to concede a second try when Alnwick appeared to cross again after another forward drive only for the referee to blow prematurely for a scrum.
Moses kicked another penalty to make the scoreline 6-7 at half time with Alnwick it appeared in the driving seat.
The second half was however a different story with Tynedale dominating possession and playing a much improved tactical game from the first half. With Alnwick only fleetingly in Tynedale's half it seemed to be a matter of how Tynedale could break through a determined defence. Moses edged Tynedale ahead with his third penalty and Cramb extened the lead with a drop goal only for Alnwick to respond with a penalty of their own to make the score 12-10 after 24 minutes.
The game was effectively sealed however when Fletcher jinked over with 5 minutes left. Alnwick then tried desperate measures but payed the penalty when a loose pass over their own line allowed Holmes the easiest of scores.
Macclesfield 16 v Tynedale 14
Tynedale saved their worst performance for the last league match of the season when they went down to an injury time drop goal at Macclesfield. The Tynedale performance was riddled with mistakes, indiscipline and lethargy and they cannot complain about the final result although it did come in the fourth minute of added time at the end of the match.
Tynedale started reasonably well and Moses missed a kickable penalty in the first minute before giving Tynedale the lead with a penalty after 9 minutes. Macclesfield were exposing Tynedale's unwillingess to tackle and the levelled the scores shortly before half time after Moses hit the post with an easy penalty chance.
Macclesfield came out for the second half much the keener of the sides and scored a converted try after only 3 minutes quickly followed by a penalty. At this stage Tynedale did shake themselves and showed how easy it could be when Cramb ran in a try after good work by Otuvaka and Lowe. to make the score 8-13.
Both sides missed penalties before Lowe kicked two for Tynedale to give them a slender 14-13 lead. In the last 10 minutes Tynedale appeared to be holding onto their lead before several simple mistakes and errors of judgement allowed Macclesfield to kick a winning drop goal. For Tynedale a game best forgotten about!
Tynedale 38 v Percy Park 12
A patched up Tynedale side eventually overcame Percy Park at wind swepped Corbridge in a match where both teams strangely faired better when playing into the strong wind.
Tynedale held a slim 18-12 advantage after Clark had kicked two penalties and Holmes and Rigby had crossed for tries. Paul Rigby was the first of three backs who exchanged pitches (and matches) to act as replacements.
In the second half Tynedale deprived Park of any ball and ran in tries through Short, Mitchell and Shotton with replacement scrum half Stephenson converting one try.
Tynedale 63 v Bridlington 20
Tynedale condemned Bridlington to relegation with a convincing victory at wind swepped Corbridge. Playing into the teeth of a strong wind Tynedale opened the scoring after 16 minutes when Cramb intercepted and sprinted in from half way - Moses converting. Bridlington replied straighaway with a converted try after Tynedale had failed to handle the restart. Tynedale controlled most of the play and Ferguson scored 5 minutes before half time, moses converting before Cramb dropped a neat goal and Moses converted a penalty. Brid did kick a penalty shortly before half time to make the scoreline 20-10 at the turn around.
Playing with the wind Tynedale cruised away with the match in the first twenty minutes of the second half. Full Back Shotton scored after only two minutes after a Moses break and three minutes later Moses scored a try after a fine Lowe run. Scrum half Holmes scored two tries after 9 minutes and 16 minutes and Ferguson finished off a Fletcher break before second row Webb got a forwards name on the board from a line out move. With 20 minutes still to play Tynedale led 56-10 and a record score was on the cards. Tynedale did however start to sit back and Bridlington bravely came back into the game scoring a try of their own after 23 minutes. Ferguson scored his third try before Bridlington were awarded a dubious try right on the stroke of time,
Ashington 14 v Tynedale 44
Tynedale won with ease in this semi-final of the Northumberland cup and now meet Alnwick in the final - venue to be decided. The victory was marred by an injury to Tongan star Epeli Taione who was taken to hospital with a fractured fibula.
Tynedale played with a stiff wind in the first half and after missing several early chances and meeting strong Ashington resistance they broke through after 18 minutes when Ferguson ran strongly to score after a heal aginst the head. The floodgates now opened and Lowe kicked a penalty before Fletcher scored after a lovelly 40yard break, Lowe converting. Robson scored from a tap penalty and winger Shotton finished off a move after another heal against the put in. Shortly before half time Fletcher scored his second after an excellent handling move to make the half time score 34-0.
Ten minutes into the second half Lowe scored a try shortly before Epi's unfortunate accidental injury. At this stage Tynedale had used all their replacements so they completed the match with 14 men.
In the last 5 minutes the sides exchanged tries , Shotton scoring again for Tynedale, before Ashington scored right on the final whistle.
Widnes 5 v Tynedale 38
Tynedale were much too strong for relegation threatened Widnes and as a competition the match never took off.
Tynedale scored three tries in the first half - scoring early on when Lowe capitalised on a neat Cramb chip ahead, Moses converting. Webb then finished off a threequarter move, converted by Moses, and Clayton-Hibbott scored from a pushover. Widnes scored their only points before half time when Bruchez scored to make the score 19-5 at half time.
Tynedale continued to dominate in the second half and sored three further tries from Moses, Fletcher and Ferguson - converting two by Moses and Taione.
Berwick 8 v Tynedale 24
Tynedale progressed to the semi final of the County Cup (where they visit Ashington on Sat 20th March) after a deserved victory in attrocious conditions at Berwick.
Playing into the wind in the first half Tynedale largely subdued Berwick's efforts. The sides exchanged penalties in the opening ten minutes after which play was literally bogged down for long periods before Berwick got the advantage they so desperately needed when they crossed in the corner just before half time after a strong passage of play.
With the elements in their favour for the second half Tynedale fancied their chances but after the previous weeks game against Doncaster they took nothing for granted against a spirited Berwick side. Play was almost entirely in the Berwick half and Moses kicked two penalties to give Tynedale the advantage before Winter scored a rare try from a driving maul. to make the score 14-8 with 20minutes remaining.
After Moses missed a penalty chance to seal the game Berwick came right back upto the Tyendale line and for several minuted forced Tynedale to demonstrate their defensive organisation. After Tynedale cleared their lines Berwick didn't threaten again and the match was put out of Berwick's reach with a Cramb drop goal and a converted Fletcher try in the last few minutes.
Tynedale 5 v Doncaster 8
Doncaster came back strongly to win a hard fought battle at Tynedale Park. Tynedale played against a near gale force wind in the first half and largely outplayed the opposition during that opening period.
Doncaster were desperate to keep their promotion hopes alive and came out breathing fire only for Tynedale to knock them back with some thunderous play of their own. The opening 20 minutes was frequented by outbursts of fisticuffs and three players were yellow carded. Doncaster took the lead after seven minutes with a penalty after the Tynedale centres were adjudged offside. Tynedale came back stongly into the teeth of the wind and after Moses missed a penalty Ferguson gave Tynedale the lead when he ran strongly to finish off a classical move which had started on Tynedale's 22 metres line.
With a richly deserved 5-3 advantage at half time things did look promising but the Doncaster forwards rose to the occasion and largely deprived Tynedale of the ball in the second half. After a series of penalties Doncaster scored with a maul from a close in lineout afer 22 minutes of the second half.
Tynedale did have opportunities to win the match after that but Moses missed a kickable penalty and with Tynedale starting to win some ball the backs were generally unable to make use of the wind behind them. Doncaster perhaps deserved to edge it over the 80 minutes and must now hope for Northern to slip up in their remaining fixtures.
Tynedale 34 v Widnes 19
The match was completely overshadowed by news that Soa Otuvakas's 17 year old only brother had been tragically murdered back home in Tonga. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Soa and his family - our thoughts will be with them.
Tynedale won a scrappy match played in near gale force conditions. Playing with the wind in the first half Tynedale led 22-0 at half time with tries by Ferguson and Moses with Cramb dropping a goal and Lowe kicking three penalties.
Widnes came into the game in the second half kicking four penalties and scoring a try. In a match which Tynedale were never going to lose Moses and Clayton-Hibbott added second half tries.
Northern 26 v Tynedale 23
Any lingering promotion hopes were killed off as Northern won an exhilarating encounter with the last kick of the match with a Walker drop goal.
Tynedale started well and Lowe was short with a difficult penalty chance in the first minute. Northern came back at Tynedale and Walker would be dissappointed to miss with an attempted drop goal. Tynedale then took a strong grip on the game and after 9 minutes missed another penalty chance when many thought the referee should have awarded them a penalty try after a deliberate knock on appeared to deprive them of a simple run in.
Second row Webb knocked on with the line at his mercy but after 20 minutes Tynedale did score a richly deserved try when Otuvaka was driven over the line by the pack, Lowe converting. A drop goal by Cramb four minutes later increased the lead but Tynedale's discipline appeared to drift in the period upto half time, conceding numerous penalties and Walker kicked the one which was in striking range to make the half time score 10-3 to Tynedale.
Northern hit Tynedale from the restart and Douglas scored after only two minutes following a driving maul - Walker converting to level the scores. Northern then took the lead for the first time after only six minutes when Walker kicked a penalty.
Tynedale then showed tremendous spirit and scored two unconverted tries within five minutes to give them a 20-13 advantage. The first of these tries came from Ferguson after a Fletcher break, the second from Lowe after a heal against the head and a stong Otuvaka charge.
Tynedale appeared to be in charge but several baffling penalties put Northern right back in the Tynedale 22 and Wilkinson broke several tackles to score - Walker converting to level the scores.
Again Tynedale went straight back up field and regained the lead with a Lowe penalty only for Walker to immediately equalise with a similar kick. Going into the last five minutes with the scores level it was anybody's game and Walker missed two chances to win it with penalties before, with what was the last kick of the match, snatching victory with a drop goal..
Tynedale 15 v Broughton Park 3
Tynedale won comfortably enough at home to Broughton Park but will be far from happy with much of their performance. Although Broughton Park stuck to their task manfully for the full 80 minutes Tynedale will be asking why with so much territorial advantage were they unable to break through a hard tackling Park defence.
Tynedale kicked into a strong wind in the first half and after defending well against early Park pressure began to take a grip on the game. After the first ten minutes most of the first half was played in the Park half but Tynedale had nothing to show for their efforts at half time. Lowe missed with two ambitious penalties into the teeth of the wind whilst Cramb missed with a driop goal attempt. Park were unfortunate not to score when their right winger stumbled into touch just short of the line but they did have one penalty chance which they converted to give them a 3-0 advantage at half time.
Playing with the wind in the second half Tynedale quickly took command and their contiual scrummage domination was rewarded when the referee awarded a penalty try after only two minutes. A penalty by Lowe after 6minutes suggested the floodgates would open but it was not to be as Tyne's play became more scrappy and Park's defence never faltered. The only other score came when Ferguson went over in the corner after succesive forward drives had disarranged the Park defence.
Tynedale will have to raise their game considerably if they are to have any realistic chance of promotion whilst Park once again demonstrated that they are a tean in a false position in North1.
Hull Ionians 20 v Tynedale 35
Tynedale returned to winning ways with a fine 35-20 win against old rivals Hull Ionians.
Tynedale started strongly and two fine charges by Otuvaka led to Clayton-Hibbott burrowing his way over for a try with less than two minutes on the clock - Lowe converting.
Hull came back strongly and their centre jinked inside a leaden footed defence to score a converted try after 6 minutes. Hull were now having their only purple patch of the match and they quickly added a penalty to go ahead.
Midway through the half Tynedale regained control and after a period of pressure during which Lowe hit the bar with a long range penalty the same player converted a simpler penalty to bring the scores level. After half an hour Clayton-Hibbott again forced his way over the line for his second try after a close in lineout - Lowe converting to make the score 17-13 to Tynedale at half time.
The second half was largely dominated by Tynedale and they scored two tries in the opening ten minutes to effectively seal the match. The first try was scored by hooker Parker after a fine attacking move and the second was an interception by Cramb after the Hull scrum half was put under intense pressure. Lowe converted one of the tries and kicked a penalty after 13 minutes to make the score 32-13.
A rare raid by Hull gave them a consolation try after 20 minutes but Lowe kicked another penalty immediately afterwards to snaffle any hopes of a Hull revival. Tynedale missed out on three or four try scoring opportunities in the final 15 minutes which could prove decisive if they are involved in any promotion shake up.
Blaydon 18 v Tynedale 14
Tynedale's promotion hopes took a jolt as Blaydon held on against the odds to record a hard earned victory.
Tynedale played against a stong wind in the first half and struggled from the outset as they gave away penalty after penalty to give Blaydon the upper hand. Blaydon took full advantage and after only 16 minutes play were 15-0 up with a penalty and two tries, one converted. Tynedale then took a firmer grip on things and Parker scored a deserved try from close in after Tynedale had pressurised the Blaydon line. A penalty for Bladon shortly afterwards however gave Blaydon an 18-7 advantage at half time.
Tynedale got right back in the game after only five minutes of the second half when Taione scored a try converted by Lowe to make the scoreline 14-18. With 35 minutes to go and playing with a strong wind things looked rosey for Tynedale but Blaydon defended well and Tynedale became more and more frustrated. The main problem for Tynedale was their total inability to win their own lineout ball and although they did have chances and Blaydon were only twice out of their own half the Blaydon line held firm.
A very disappointing result for Tynedale in a match which was always going to be tough but which they really ought to have won.
Tynedale 27 v Wigton 12
Tynedale kept on their winning ways in an mistake riddled untidy match which was brightened by several exellent tries from both sides.
Playing against the elements Tynedale took the lead after only 7 minutes when a well worked move put Taione in for his first of three tries, Moses converting. Tynedale continued to dominate and only several unforced errors prevented further scores although Wigton defended excellently. After Wigton themselves had had a couple of rare opportunities to score another well worked Tynedale move allowed Taione to score his second try to make the score 12-0 at half time.
The second half started well for Tynedale as they effectively put the game out of Wigton's reach after only eight minutes with a Moses penalty and Taione's third try converted by Moses. Sloppy play by Tynedale allowed constant threat Manihera to score for Wigton but Charlton put Tynedale further ahead after good work from Otuvaka and Fletcher.
Wigton had the last score however when Warwick was put away from half way to score an unconverted try.
Tynedale triumphed in difficult conditions.
Tyne took the initiative in the opening minutes and were quickly off the mark when Moses converted a simple penalty after only 3 minutes. Stockton came back strongly and had their best period of the match during which they scored an equalising penalty - this proved to be their only kick at goal in the entire match.
Around the half hour mark Tynedale regained control and Moses kicked his second penalty although he also missed two other kickable chances - all in the space of 5 minutes. Tynedale led 6-3 at half-time.
Tynedale wrapped the game up in the opening 15 minutes of the second half when second row Webb scored two tries - both from lineouts. Moses converted one of these and kicked a further penalty to make the score 21-3.
Conditions deterioated further as players scrambled around in the wet, mud and cold. Stockton to their credit kept going to the end and came nearest to scoring with a forward drive right on the final whistle.
Tynedale 14 v Middlesbrough 7
Tynedale edged Boro out 14-7 in an entertaining hard fought encounter in front of a good sized crowd at Tynedale Park. After Boro missed an easy penalty after only 4 minutes the Tynedale pack took command, winning excellent lineout ball and edging Boro back in the scrum. Cramb gave "Tyne" a deserved lead after 18 minutes with a well struck drop goal after Tynedale had pressurised the Boro line.
Tynedale continued to hold the upper hand but could not find a way through a tight Boro defence. Boro took a surprise lead when Number 8 Seymour broke well from a scrum on half way and only an excellent tackle by Taione temporarily saved the day. From the resultant lineout Tynedale's throw, which had been rock solid, was taken by Boro 2nd row Dixon who fell over for the the try which was well converted by full back Parker.
Tynedale stormed back and within a minute Moses brought the score to 6-7 with a penalty.
Boro started the second half in awesome fashion and it took excellent defensive work to keep them out. Boro squandered another kickable penalty after 5 minutes after which Tynedale's pack again took command. Cramb missed with a simple drop goal attempt before winger Johnston chased a Cramb kick to put Tynedale back in the lead. Another penalty by Moses shortly afterwards made the scoreline 14-7 with only eight minutes left. Boro tried desperately to bridge the Tynedale defence and only another tremendous retrieving tackle by Taione kept the sprightly Boro back line out.
"Man of the Match" was awarded to winger Epeli Taione for his two match saving tackles -the adjudicator being ex Tynedale and Boro prop Dr Nigel Enevoldson (or "Tits" to his friends)
Bridlington 3 v Tynedale 37
Tynedale had a comfortable win at struggling Bridlington with wingers Taione and Johnston scoring 3 and 2 tries respectively.
Moses opened the scoring after 5 minutes with a penalty and three minutes later converted Taione's first try. With Tynedale dominating the writing was on the wall after 20 minutes when right winger Johnston finished off a three quarter handling move to make the score 15-0.
Although Robinson kicked a penalty for 'Brid' a further Moses penalty and a try from half way by Taione made the scoreline 25-3 at half time.
Keith Johnson came on for Ross Taylor in the second half which was marred by several ugly incidents, one of which resulted in a Brridlington forward being shown the red card.
Further tries from Johnston and Taione made the score 37-3.
Tynedale 45 v Macclesfield 7
Tynedale had a comfortable victory over a weakened Macclesfield side, scoring six converted tries .
Tynedale played into the wind in the first half and the writing was on the wall for Macclesfield in the first few minutes when their scrum was put under severe pressure. In the first quarter No 8 Richard Anderson touched down two pushover tries , Moses converting both. Moses also converted a penalty on the stroke of half time to give Tynedale a comfortable 17-0 lead.
Tongan winger Taione scored two tries in the first five minutes of the second half and these were added to with tries from replacements Johnson and Holmes. Leading 45-0, with twenty minutes still to go, Macclesfield gamely came back into the match and scored a deserved consolation try on the stroke of time.
A notable moment in a dissappointing contest was when 43 year old Chris Dixon returned to first team duty, coming on as replacement in the second half.
Middlesbrough 23 v Tynedale 14
For the second week running Tynedale lost a match in the closing minutes as Middlesbrough scored a late penalty and a converted try to deny Tynedale victory.
Playing with the slope and wind in the first half Tynedale got off to a cracking start with Ferguson finishing off a well worked move after only four minutes. At this early stage young Jamie Murray left the field with a recurrence of his shoulder injury, to be replaced by new boy Chris Webb. In a reshuffle of the pack Chris went into the second row, Keith Johnson to blind side and Richard Anderson moved accross to number 8.
The reshuffle didn't seem to bother Tyne as they continued to pressurise Boro and Moses kicked two penalties to give them an 11-0 lead after only 13 minutes. At this stage Boro began to counter dangerously and were unfortunate when Parker couldn't gather with the line at his mercy.
Moses missed a penalty after 17 minutes after which the half turned dramatically Boro's way as they kicked a deserved penalty and scored two unconverted tries with some strong running rugby. Boro led 13-11 at half time and things looked ominous for Tyne with the wind and slope against them in the second half.
To Tynedale's great credit they took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half and seldom allowed Boro out of their own half of the field. Moses kicked Tynedale into a deserved lead with 14 minutes remaining and with only 5 minutes left of normal time and Tynedale pressurising the Boro 22 it appeared that the game was under Tyne's control.
The game changed dramatically against Tynedale when they were awarded a penalty wide out close to Boro's 22 metre line. Cramb went for touch in the corner but drove the ball carelessly into Wallis's midriff. Wallis set off on a determined counter which ended with Tynedale having to defend scummages on their own line. With only a minute remaining the referee awarded Boro a penalty which Parker converted to effectively clinch the match.
Tynedale restarted and conceded a late converted try in the course of playing catch-up rugby. A very dissappointing ending to a fluctuating match for Tynedale.