The 2006 season kicked off for the Vets on Saturday with a hard fought victory against a big, bruising Blaydon team. There were a few members of last years team missing including Clayton-Hibbott who was busy judging a flower show and Richard Parker 2 who has applied to join the Diplomatic Service however it was pleasing to see a fresh crop of "youngsters" join the fray including Shaun Fenwick who last put his boots on in 1998. There was also new signing Tim Williams who, after intensive contractual negotiations (a gallon of beer) and medical (we supply the deep heat) took to the hallowed turf of Tynedale Park for the first time to replace primrose Hibbott at scrum half.
So on a balmy day the barmy bunch kicked off into an unusual easterly breeze and for the umpteenth time the two sides locked horns with both sides showing total commitment in the tight. Skipper of the day Graeme Yates took a particular liking to the bottom of the Blaydon scrum half's boots as was apparent from the A road map of Britain drawn on his back and was later heard discussing directions with the little half back. Not to detract from the game however Tynedale drove upfield and Fergus Mitchell lumbered his way over for the first try soon to be followed in a similar vein by second row partner Richard Jones, the conversion making it 12-0.
Things started to go wrong at this point when first winger Phil Oakenfold outran his legs and left the field with a twisted knee and shortly after that scrum half Ian Lewis left the field looking rather wobbly. The jury is still out as to who inflicted the injury, Blaydon, Tynedale or the referee, who for the record had an excellent, if not difficult game. Enter Fenwick into the hookers spot allowing Andy Purvis back to his usual place on the wing and new signing Williams at scrum half who must still have been dizzy from his contract as the first pass to fly half Richard Cramb was a proper Barnes Wallace, obviously learnt from a previous Mitchell attempt which got winger John Eustace some unwanted attention. A quick offload to flanker Ian Charlton, who refuses to grow old gracefully, saw the ball recycled and a slick move put full back Scott Ferguson away for his first of the day taking the score to 19-0 after the successful conversion. Blaydon then came back and after a series of probing runs along the back line a quickly taken penalty saw their large and talented centre crash through to go under the posts. Tynedale spent the rest of the half defending taking the half time score to 19-7.
The re-start saw the Vets wanting to raise the game however it was Blaydon who got on the front foot with their plan to run the ball around to try and tire the old boys out. This was not to be as centres Craig Johnson and Rod Wallace along with wingers Eustace and Purvis tackled and disrupted any attempt to go wide, ably supported by the blonde bomber Nigel Wright, golden locks hidden by a scrum cap, this time worn the right way round. The aggressive defence led to two break away tries by Ferguson and Cramb before Blaydon came back with one of their own taking the score to 31-12. Dave Nichols replaced Mitchell and Chris Davison, also making his Veterans debut after a length gestation period, replaced Williams at scrum half. Davisons bulk redefined the game plan and the ball was retained in the forwards with a front row of Derek Dixon, Fenwick and Angus Whitelaw providing a stable platform. A succession of rolling mauls saw Dixon peel away for a well deserved try which took the final score to 36-12. Whether it was scoring against his old club, scoring or simply being able to breathe at the end of the game no-one will know for sure however Derek was left in the bath long after the game shouting "more beer" and playing with his new found bath toys, empty cans of lager. A special mention must go to Dave Nichols who suffered a nasty cut above his eye requiring eleven stitches. The mention is not in sympathy of course but astonishment, why would you take a photo of your open, bleeding wound and send it to your wife?