Blaydon 45 South Leicester 20

If this young Blaydon side could only sustain their brilliant first half efforts after the break then they would likely be well clear of the relegation zone by now. For the second game in succession they ran in early tries to put themselves in pole position but then let the opposition back in with some unforced errors.
In yesterdays encounter they were breath-taking in attack for 39 minutes in which the visitors never once set foot in the home 22 and on every occasion that Blaydon went forward with ball in hand a try seemed likely.
It all kicked off in the 3rd minute when prop forward Dave Kilpatrick grabbed the opener from close range, Jack Appleton then ran in a hat-trick, and a try bonus had been secured within 13 minutes – heady stuff.
Try number two arrived when they drove on from a short line-out and let it out for James Cooney to sprint over in style. Appleton secured his first on 11 minutes when the visitors knocked on and Nathan Bailey and Joe Whyman combined to send him on his way. Two minutes later he was in again, this time latching onto a South Leicester box kick in his own half and racing clear from 60 metres.
His hat-trick was completed from a line-out drive with Dan Taylor,Robert Lenderyou and Jack Davidson in turn providing quick ball for the young winger to cruise over.
The visitors simply had no answer, and a 6th try was conceded on 35 minutes when they were toyed with by a rampant Blaydon who went back and forth along the 22 until replacement hooker Cameron Bell applied a finishing touch.
With the interval beckoning the visitors at last got into the Blaydon 22 and winger Myles Bean crossed in the corner to make it 38-5.
The outcome was virtually secured but there was still 40 minutes to play and somehow Blaydon contrived to let the opposition back in. They failed to secure possession in their 22 and then infringed for Adam Johnson to touch down a second try, and then when back on the attack threw out an optimistic pass for Adam Shaw to intercept and race clear.
Finally they dropped the ball near their own line to concede a 4th try to Ricki Aley, which reduced their advantage to 18 points. But fittingly they had the last word when Cooney latched onto a loose ball to storm over from 30 metres and Whyman landed his 5th conversion.

John Brennan