On a fine afternoon with an excellent pitch, both teams tried to run the ball at every opportunity and this led to a high quality, entertaining game between two well matched sides.

In the first twenty minutes Ryton had the upper hand and scored an early converted try when, despite a fine tackle in midfield by Mark Smales, the ball was picked and driven close to the line. Some heroic defending by Oliver Shrimpton, Owen Loughead, Ed Craney and Callum Foxcroft kept the visitors out until a concerted drive by three forwards ended this resistance.

After twenty minutes Tynedale managed to lose their own ball in a scrum near half way. The Ryton midfield backs produced a lovely move to catch the defence napping and saunter in under the posts and then add the points.

This setback saw the Centurions begin a fight back that saw them gain control for the remainder of the half. Ed Weir began to rip ball and drive forward, Ian Charlton was conspicuous at every ruck and maul and Rob Earnshaw led from the front with several rampaging efforts. This pressure led to a penalty that Callum Morrell put into the corner, the ball went loose at the line out but George Hendry tidied up and brought the dancing feet of full back Ewan Morrell into play. Held just short, the ball was re-cycled and scrum-half Josh Turnbull, who had an excellent game wearing that unfamiliar shirt, saw a gap and dived through to touch down with Callum Morrell knocking over the conversion.

Just before half time Spencer Tolley made a nice break with a chip forward that led to an attacking scrum. Rob Earnshaw picked and drove from the base, linked with Turnbull who returned the favour by putting in Ewan Morrell who had to stretch over the line as Ryton scrambled in defence. Again Callum Morrell converted to make the score at the break 14-14.

In the second half the Centurions had an early period of territorial advantage with the introduction of the brothers Grant surprising the home side. Cam Grant and Callum Morrell showed pace and power but were held ten metres out. From the scrum, Earnshaw, Jonny Pape and Charlie Rutherford all went close before James Grant showed great awareness to drive over the whitewash and again Callum Morrell added the conversion.

Conversely, in this period of ascendancy, the Centurions possibly lost the game. Forwards and backs combined to make breaks and potential try scoring passes to the supporting wingers Joe Matthews and Dan Heppell were either misplaced or spurned, frustrating both players by denying them the opportunity to show their pace. Smales had a very good chance some after great support play but, for the second week in a row, was denied a try as defenders held him as he crossed the line and it was difficult to see if he'd managed to touch down.

This profligacy was to cost the visitors dear as the Ryton team tackled tenaciously, competed ferociously, stole line out ball and kicked well to give them a final ten minutes of dominance. Their well drilled pack drove over from short range and the conversion leveled the scores.

Then the experienced George Hendry, who had been having a battle royal with his opposite number the Ryton number 7, the probable man of the match, transgressed once too often, received a yellow card and Ryton knocked over the resulting penalty. The home side would not let that advantage go and closed out the match deep in Tynedale territory.

If this is the last match before a possible Coronavirus shut down, it was a sporting contest played at a high standard and all players, replacements and the referee contributed well and are to be congratulated.