Chris Leslie's Report:-

Tynedale 59–12 Chester
(Half-time 35–7)

Terabyte rugby was executed perfectly by Tynedale in the first 20 minutes just after Chester got off their bus.

Charlie Smith crossed after three minutes, Archie Rattray after 12 and Tom Campbell after 18. Cam Grant converted all three and, before Chris Dixon and the rest of the farmers had properly settled into their seats, Tynedale were 21–0 ahead.

Jimmy Lythgoe secured the bonus-point try after just 22 minutes, Grant (the metronome) conversion making it 28–0. Some start against a side that had beaten DMP the previous week.

Twas like Bedknobs and Broomsticks with Rattray scorching the ground and the halfbacks enjoying a comfortable armchair ride courtesy of a pack in full working order with Charlie Smith's accurate throwing at the lineout deserving particular mention.

Meanwhile centres Jimmy Lythgoe and Joe Beaty are cementing a rather gloriously odd centre partnership, with flashes of flair resembling the 1970s French side. You could see the ambition, Chester had the less enjoyable task of trying to stop it.

But the defence was every bit as impressive. Back to those 2025 organised and ruthlessly competitive standards, Chester were given precious little room to breathe. Even their robust right winger was smashed into touch. Rarely has the home crowd (including three stray South Shields Cricket Club supporters) seen an opposition left with so few places to go.

Chester did get on the scoreboard after 36 minutes, but Joe Hanning replied just before the interval. Grant again converted and it was 35–7 at half-time.

Sitting with the Cornforth family was a delight. Good company and rugby like that in front of us was one of those afternoons to cherish. Even the Past-It players Lunch managed to see the second half.

Any suggestion that Tynedale might ease themselves gently into the second half disappeared when Jack Appleton scored after 42 minutes. Smith collected his second after 50, Grant converted both and the score had stretched to 49–7.

To be fair to Chester, they kept going and scored their second try after 74 minutes. They had arrived on the back of a magnificent performance against DMP and caught Tynedale in thoroughly unforgiving mood.

Grant by this time kicking with his left foot to make it interesting added a penalty a minute later, before Appleton rounded things off with his second try on 80 minutes. Another conversion completed Grant’s perfect 100% return: eight conversions and a penalty, 19 points.

Eight tries, outstanding defence and contributions right across the side. I mentioned humble pie before the match. Happily, there was none required.

There’s nowt like a match day and kicking 8 from 8 tries.

Chris Leslie

Brian Tilley's Report:-

Tynedale 59, Chester 12.
THE Tynedale faithful were looking at this fixture on Saturday with some trepidation, and it’s easy to see why.
The previous week, visitors Chester had beaten high flying Darlington Mowden Park 25-21 – the same Darlington outfit which had destroyed Tynedale 55-12 in the first home game of the season.

Chester had won on four of their previous seven visits to Tynedale Park, and It was also the day of the annual past players’ lunch, when Tynedale traditionally play badly.
It was also a drizzly day with a slippery ball, and Tynedale were still without ace scrum half James Telfer, with stand off Josh Leslie donning the number nine shirt.

Incredibly, the omens were all wide of the mark, as Tynedale produced comfortably their best display of the season in an eight try demolition of a visiting side left flatter than the Cheshire Plain.
The key was the lineout, which has been patchy at best this season, but on Saturday it all came gloriously together, with Tynedale winning all their own lineouts and a goodly proportion of Chester’s.

The forwards were unstoppable and the tackling magnificent all afternoon. The four try bonus point was in the bag after just 20 minutes, as Tynedale climbed to a season’s high of third place in National League Division Two North.

It was another wonderful day for elegant full back Cam Grant, who landed all nine of his pots at goal – eight conversions and a penalty – and some of them were uncomfortably close to touch.

There were two tries apiece for hooker Charlie Smith and right wing Jack Appleton, but there were blue and white heroes all over the pitch, from high flying line out jumpers Will Nankivell and Joe Hanning, the inventive half back partnership of Leslie and Ted Fletcher and the scything tackles of just about everyone else.

Tynedale went ahead after just two minutes when a Ted Fletcher penalty found touch five metres out and the polished catch and drive ended with Smith touching down. Grant’s conversion from wide out set the tone for what was to come.

Rattray is known for his ferocious tackling, but he produced a blazing burst of speed on 11 minutes for the second try, and another perfectly executed lineout catch and drive six minutes took fellow flanker Tom Campbell over for number three.

The Chester coach was already telling all his subs to warm up, but things got worse on 20 minutes when a sweeping handling movement sent centre Jimmy Lythgoe cruising in for the bonus point and a 28-0 lead.

Chester had hardly set foot beyond the halfway line, and when they finally did put some moves together, they were mercilessly cut down by a wall of blue and white.
It wasn’t until the 33rd minute Chester found a way through, flanker Dave Jones rounding off a forward drive, and fly half Sam Rogers converting in off the post.

But Tynedale had the last word of the half, as another lineout routine saw lock Joe Hanning power over, Grant’s fifth conversion making it 35-7 at the break.

Any hopes Chester may have harboured for a second half revival were dashed two minutes in, when a lovely Leslie crosskick was gobbled up by Appleton, who went over in style.

The slaughter continued on 50 minutes, when another crosskick found Smith who romped over for his second try, Grant’s conversion making it 49-7.

Chester did come back briefly, aided by a yellow card for Nankivell and a game-ending injury to Campbell, and they scraped into double figures with a second try for Jones.

But Tynedale still were not finished, and the 50 came up when Grant slotted a penalty with five minutes left.
There was still time for Appleton to secure his brace from the final play of the game, Grant adding the extras for a perfect day from the tee.

Tynedale are on their travels again this Saturday, when they go down to Yorkshire to face Otley, currently lying bottom of the table with one win from eight.