CLICK HERE to view Match Report on Hull Ionians website

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Match Report taken from "The Rugby Paper":-
A cathedral like hush fell over Tynedale Park as home full back Cameron Grant lined up what would have been a winning penalty from close to halfway against the Humbersiders.

A previous effort from a similar spot five minutes earlier had gone between the posts – but under the cross bar, and Ionians breathed again.

Both sides knew this penalty would be the final play of an absorbing game in wet and slippery conditions. Grant struck it well, bang on line, but in the stiffening breeze, it fell just short, and Ionians claimed a deserved victory.

Delighted player coach Mal Holden said: “It was a great win, and even if either kick had gone over, and we had lost, I would still have been pleased with the way we performed in these tricky conditions,

“Tynedale are a very good side, and I knew we would have to be at our best to come away with anything. The plan was to score early, which we managed to do, and even though we were hit by a couple of early injuries, we performed very well.”

Tynedale were on a run of five wins on the spin, but were some way short of their best, dropping too much ball and giving away too many penalties.

Ionians took the lead on eight minutes, when well-timed passing sent Cameron Burnhill over in the corner. Crucially, Ben Smith’s conversion from the touchline just squeezed over.

Scrum half Sam Pocklington added the second try two minutes later, with Smith again converting for a deserved 14-0 lead.

Tynedale came roaring back when Charlie Turnbull forced his way over from a lineout on 15 minutes but Grant was unable to convert and just before the break, a forward charge from a tap penalty saw Chris Wearmouth touch down for a converted try.

Tynedale’s hopes of gaining control after the break were dashed on 43 minutes when Ionians number eight George Mewburn grabbed a loose ball in his own half, and charged half the length of the field to touch down under the sticks for Smith to stretch the lead to 21-12.

Tynedale got back within two points with a well taken converted try by Josh Leslie on 53 minutes, but it was Ionians who continued to look the more dangerous, with some good spells of pressure.

Then came the late penalty dramas, as Ionians completed the double over the Northumbrians.

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Chris Leslie's Match Report:-

Hull Ionians fully deserved this one.

Because they beat their hosts out of the blocks and were two-nowt up after just 12 minutes, leaving Tynedale chasing the game at 0–14 in challenging conditions that the visitors adapted to better than the home team.

But, Tynedale hit back on 15 minutes when Charlie Turnbull powered over to make it 5–14, and after turning down a couple of kickable penalties, the home side were again rewarded just before the break. A driven effort saw Chris Wearmouth crash over, the conversion narrowing the gap to 12–14 at half-time.

Hull Ionians struck again early in the second half, and in magnificent fashion. Their No.8 timed his run to perfection, threading the tightest of margins to breach the Tynedale defence and score the try of the match under the posts. At 12–21, it proved decisive, just!

But, after not being awarded an earlier try, Tynedale with no way to hide refused to fold their Kenny Rodgers cards (The Gambler) and with 53 minutes on the clock Josh Leslie crossed, the conversion bringing it back to 19–21 and setting up a tense final quarter.

What followed was extraordinary. Both sides’ defences stood firm when tries looked inevitable, with Hull repeatedly declining kickable penalties in favour of territory deep in the Tynedale red zone. A tactic that paid-off, just!

Then, with only nano-moments remaining, Tynedale opted for the posts (twice) from around 48.75 metres out. The first penalty kick dipped (just) under the bar, by the thickness of a Rizla paper, summing up a breathless contest decided by the finest of margins.

Notably, Hull’s senior statesmen had enjoyed a lively Friday night out in Newcastle before watching their own deliver a well-earned, match-winning performance.
Sport is unpredictable, but on this occasion Hull Ionians were outstanding visitors, only (just) eclipsed by Tynedale’s hospitality lunch attended by a fine crowd featuring many Northumberland leg-ends, with Danny Hodgson's Award for “turning up to Durham School,” and the camaraderie he had had with Shottsoff and many many County friends. Special mention too for Alan Old, who might well have taken the kickable penalties, but that’s the wisdom of experience.

Another, "SG", clad in his old Spain international track suit with his son's new Stade France badges, which gave the appearance of a slighly lowdly dressed Italian General with hints of pink. How he slipped past paying the entrance fee was not as amazing as the Corbridge Cricket Club car park attendant's ticket!

A great day of rugby friends, hosted at Tynedale Park.