In a rehearsal for their County Cup Final these well-matched teams both battled hard to try to gain favouritism for the upcoming contest.

Playing with the breeze in the first half Tynedale probably held a territorial advantage but with a pacey back line the visitors were always a threat. Indeed they took the lead when the ball was whipped wide in a flowing move from half way for their quick winger to touch down wide out left. The early loss of inspirational full back and captain Jake Sloan to injury did not help the cause.

Periods of intense forward pressure saw forwards Mark Smales, Ed Weir, Jonny Pape and George Hendry go close but stout defending seemed to have repelled all Centurion efforts. Indeed this pounding of the line had created opportunities to move the ball quickly but these were often spurned. However, the forwards efforts were rewarded when Rob Earnshaw drove forward and Brogan Miller, in one of several tanking bursts, managed break through for a try converted by Dan Kerr. This gave the home side a narrow half time lead of 7-5.

The game was more open after the break with both sides making changes. Callum Foxcroft and Ian Charlton won all their own lineout ball and the introduction of Rory Craney and Phil Scandle got the home side on the front foot in the scrum. But it was Novos who began to get on top in the loose and, for a period of thirty minutes, this possession was well used by their threequarters who ran in three well worked tries from long range.

Oliver Hillary powered over from close range to reduce the deficit to 12-22 but the lead was quickly restored with a converted try by the right winger. This led to a final ten minutes when the Centurions upped their game. A strong run from Martyn Hutton was supported by the twinkle toed Joe Matthews who was held up, Rhys Main made good yards to be stopped short, then the flying Dan Heppell got into a try scoring position and waited in vain for the pass. Eventually, Jason Armstrong did drive over and touch down but the referee correctly spotted a double movement. Then, in the last play of the game, Andy Harvey made a lovely break, fed Scandle on a drifting run and a soft handed pass put fly-half Kerr through a gap for a well taken try.

This late flurry was too little too late and Novos thoroughly deserved their victory with their second half performance. Tynedale know that they will have to compete for the full eighty minutes in the County Cup Final on April 4th to overturn this result.