The home side, with a sprinkling of first team players, were always going to be a tough ask for the Centurions. However, they were crucially further strengthened by a flanker on leave from the Army and winger back from Leeds University, and these two were key to the final result.

Tynedale started slowly, missing a catch from the kick off and coming under immediate pressure from the bigger, more experienced pack of their opponents. Tough defending by Adam Barnett, Mark Smales, Lewis Duffy and James Crosby kept the line intact for 10 minutes but, some weak clearances meant that the pressure did not relent. When they released their backs, a nice move ended with the Houghton centre scoring under the posts for a converted try.

This score woke up the Centurions and Olliver Hillary made a number of fine breaks. Josh Turnbull, Ed Weir and Jason Armstrong all drove deep into the opposition half and when held appeared to produce good ball, but this was where the tenacious Army wing forward came into his own. Buzzing around the tackle area, he turned over the ball on at least a dozen occasions throughout the game. Indeed, from one such turn over, the ball was passed quickly to the silky-smooth running University left winger who caught the defence flat-footed to score a nice try.

Just before the interval Hillary and Rob Earnshaw drove close to the line before Rory Craney and Alfie Clouston were held on the line. Luckily, the lively scrum-half Sam Richardson saw the opportunity to involve his three-quarters, Spencer Tolley tipped the ball onto the supporting Brogan Miller who crashed over 15 metres from touch. After a brief injury break, Earnshaw tried to convert from in front of the posts but the razor-sharp referee quickly corrected him. However, in the absence of a kicking tee, he sent over a beautifully judged drop kick conversion from wide out to make the score 12-7 at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Tynedale had chances through wingers Dan Heppell and Joe Matthews but they were collared just short. Full-back Darwin Currie, who had an excellent game throughout, made several try-saving tackles, and set-off a number of exciting runs from his own half. Ian Charlton, Callum Foxcroft and Jonny Pape all had promising drives into the home 22 metre area but, as often as not, the ball was not re-cycled quickly to finish off these decent chances. In the meantime, the University winger was twice able to finish moves off with his electric pace. The final margin of defeat didn't reflect the efforts put in by a spirited Centurions side.