Both sides managed to provide a feast of entertaining rugby preceding the club's own Oktoberfest event.

Oliver Hillary scored an early interception try after Jonny Pape and Callum Foxcroft applied pressure from the kick off, forcing defenders to retreat to their own line. This was followed by the try of the match as full-back Jonathan Gormley ran strongly from his own 22 metre line, linked with Ryan Laverty who released Spencer Tolley. The winger still needed to beat his opposite number and full back as he ran strongly and dived in at the corner.

The visitors were able to apply pressure of their own but, a penalty was all they could muster for their efforts before the rampant Brogan Millar burst up field. Ryan Metcalfe punched his own hole to the 22-metre line leaving prop forward Adam Telfer to show great handling and footwork skills before powering over.

Hillary scored his second with a typical jinking run from half-way. Chris Kerr converted the first and last tries to leave the match in the balance at half-time, 24-3.

After the break, Sunderland were stunned as the Centurions stepped up a gear and produced 30 minutes of wonderful rugby.

Hooker Robbie Binks ran strongly to score two early tries. The first following good work by Chris Hayes and Laverty and the second created by the efforts of Jake Sloan and Metcalfe.

Left winger James Bell then showed good pace to score out wide before Ian Charlton and the hard-working Ed Weir provided a platform for Kerr to dart over for a nice try.

Flanker Ed Coffey, switched to the wing, created space and ran strongly for 50 metres before being dragged down by gravity just before the line. Fortunately, the tireless Kael Horton was on hand to pick up and touch down.

Skipper Sloan was then able to slalom in to score before Hugh Holland-Creaven finished off a forward drive from close range. Kerr, who has become a reliable kicker, added five conversions in the second half.

To their great credit, Sunderland never gave up and it required try-saving tackles from Telfer, Millar and Andy Purvis to keep them out. However, with the final play of the match, they scored a thoroughly deserved converted try as a reward for their efforts.