This was a tough, bruising encounter between two well-matched side with the result in the balance right up until the final whistle.

The Centurions started well and a nice handling movement involving Ali Hopps and Henry White saw Jake Sloan feed Spencer Tolley. The winger looked certain to score but for a moment's hesitation and a brilliant covering tackle. Brogan Millar then drove close along the touchline but a tackle just short saw the influential back row have to leave the field with a knee injury.

Against the run of play Ponteland turned over possession in midfield and raced away to take the lead with a nice try. Tynedale responded well as Hutton ran powerfully feed Sloan who jinked close to the line and find the ever-supportive Kael Horton on his shoulder and the flanker cut infield and touched down.

Lively hooker Robbie Binks was scrapping for the ball on the deck in his own half after Andy Harvey had made a brave, try-saving tackle and managed to set Rob Earnshaw free. Caught on the half-way line, the ball was recycled and appeared in hands of Oliver Hillary. Surrounded by opponents, the centre had nowhere to go however, a drop of the shoulder, a balletic shimmy and a powerful hand-off saw him break free and side-step his way downfield for a brilliant score. White added the points to leave the score 5-12 at the break.

The second half started without Binks and Earnshaw who had been forced to withdraw through injury and illness allowing grizzled veteran Andy Purves to appear as a lucky mascot replacement.

This loss of manpower saw the balance begin to swing in favour of the home team but not before Ed Weir secured the ball in a ruck in his own half. Hopps ran well and fed Hillary who again out-foxed all defenders to score and allow Harvey to add a difficult and, in the end, decisive conversion.

White, who had bravely charged down a kick, succumbed to several injuries incurred in the attempt and his withdrawal left Tynedale a man short. The home side were quick to take full advantage and score two fine running tries and a single conversion taking the score to
17-19. Then came another twist as Weir received a red card following a melee with much pushing and shoving.

With only 13 men the visitors had to dig really deep as Ponteland had ten minutes of constant pressure. Fortunately, they chose to use their big men to pound the line and heroic tackling by forwards Rory Craney, Ian Charlton, Jason Armstrong, Callum Foxcroft, Max Henderson and Kael Horton held them at bay. Two attempts to run the ball were snuffed by massive hits from Hutton to give the Centurions a fine win but at the cost of a number of injuries and a possible suspension.