Blaydon Bricks retain 4th team Shield

Scorers:

Trys: Coatesy, Joe 2, Chris Collings 2, Harry, Nick Coates, Savs, Thacks, Chester

Conv. Joe 3, Thacks 2

Blaydon 60, South Tyneside College 0

The long awaited Match report from Davy Hall:

The sun always shines at Ashbrooke when the Bricks visit for a cup final and Saturday afternoonwas no exception. Bathed in glorious sun the Bricks saved their best performance of the season for the most important game.

From the early stages of the game the result never like in doubt. A dominant set of forwards time and time again giving the backs an excellent platform to play some real champagne rugby.

After 10 minutes Chris Coates opened the scoring with a darting run from just outside South Tyneside twenty two with Joe converting to make it 7-0. A marvellous start for myself as I’d picked him out of the sweep. Needless to say this resulted in accusations of skulduggery as I had ran the sweep and as such I have graciously donated to a fund to have Janette Snowdons larynx removed.
Minutes later following a thumping tackle and turn over by Marge, quick ball was thrown to the backs and Chester found Joe who beat his man superbly to score in the corner 12-0.

From the ensuing kick off Brett caught cleanly and charged 50 yards up the pitch and once agin lightening quick ball from the backs found Chris Collins who finished to make it 17-0.

With only half an hour gone the game looked to be won with Blaydon well in control and when Nick Coates kicked deep into South Tynesides twenty two and after a couple of nightmare bounces Goggle collected and Chris Collins went over for the score. Joe converted to make it 24-0.
It was at this point the reporting went awry, I did make notes in my phone but must have accidentally deleted them with my fat sausage fingers.

So the rest of the game in summary from what I’ve been told, try for Harry, try from Surrey, some other trys. I recall Savs beating 5-6 players and scoring a lovely try and Thacks kicking the conversion.

All the allowed substitutions were used in the second half but unfortunately there was no complaining from anyone. Did I ever mention the time I got dropped for the final………..

Anyway, official final score was 60-0. No disrespect to South Tyneside who stuck in for the full 80 minutes but this was one of the easiest victories of the season. The game plan, unlike the semi final against Gateshead was followed to the letter and that was reflected in the score line and ease of victory.Other point of note:

South Tyneside number 7 with big hit on Harry as PC shouted “Harry’s down at Bechers Brook!”

Marge being substituted for Grumpy, like for like substitution.

Harry getting SPLATTED by Butterbean.

Paul Winter having obviously contracted a severe strain of “p*nis fingers” from somewhere……

Finners on the charge resulting in him landing on the South Tyneside number 5 who thankfully has just this morning been brought out of his coma.

And of course no cup final day would be complete with seeing an elderly, overweight, drunken, hairy, naked midget being squashed into a luggage rack on a coach – I’m sure we’ll all be looking forward to seeing that again next April, long live Stag!

It was back to the club to put the Shield back on the wall and have loads of lovely beer!
Well done lads.

Davy

Headlines from Bruce:

Firstly a correction to Davy’s report before I get into trouble with Rugby Management – Surrey was not playing and therefore will not be awarded the score Davy gave him, he was taking the photos. If anyone can remember the rests of the game please sent details to Davy, via the forum, so he can complete the report…….

* Our thanks to South Tyneside College for making it a great event, they never dropped their heads, played right to the end and unfortunately the score did not reflect their contribution or capability. It is great to see clubs like STC running two good teams, good luck for the rest of the season and we look forward to you joining the Northumberland Leagues next season.

* This was the best performance I have seen from a Bricks squad in many seasons and the squad the Bricks have assembled is one of the best I have ever seen and it showed on the day.

* It would not have mattered which club had turned up on the day, STC had deservedly reached the final and were a good team, but the strength of Blaydon in depth at the moment is fantastic, for Blaydon, but daunting for other clubs. For two successive seasons we have all three teams (2s, 3, and 4s) all in the cup final and until the final, all cup rounds are scheduled on the same day.

* The Bricks team on the day was a very different one to that we fielded at the beginning of the season, but aside from a prop, every player was a Bricks squad member. The issue we have with the Bricks is, the team have a number of people who could play up our teams, but due to work can’t train or even play each weekend, so you can never be sure which Bricks team will show, which is evidenced by our good victories against teams like Wallsend IIs and Consett IIs in the league this year. For a Cup Match, scheduled months ahead, everyone ensures they are available.

* The interplay between backs and forwards was immense, whenever a Brick got stopped, another was on hand to take it on, it was experience of playing together, everyone just knew what to do and where they needed to be. imagine if this team ever trained.

* They was some great trys, including a Chester break, to Harry, Chester wraps around and takes it back and feeds Joe to score in the corner, see the pictures.

* They was some knock ons further than I can kick it, starting with GB, then Ray and Finners, Ray and Finners were their first touches after coming on as subs.. what had i done……   they both explained what a great contribution they subsequently made, which although true, follows my principle of not letting truth get in a way of a good fictional match report

* Strength in depth won the day, when we made changes the players coming on played as well as those leaving and had fresh legs.

* Harry got absolutely clattered by one of the STC props

* Me, Russ and Cliff were hyper and it was very apparent within the management team, we were making Windy’s life h*ll, but this time unlike the previous round we kept the team calm, even down to the controlled walk to the pitch at the start of the game and then getting down to business on the pitch.

* Previous round I made the mistake of thinking I had to tell the squad how important the cup was, this team know, retaining the shield meant everything to each and every player.

* The crap side of cup finals is you have to select a starting 15, which is really hard when you have this capability and capacity available to you, then you can only use 7 subs and we had about 26 players available. Some people who had played all season, a key part of the squad and could not play on the day, for that I can only apologise, sorry and I hope they is a little consolation in fact this win was about the squad, every person played their part.

* To a man, every person played the best game i had seen them play, it just all came together on the day and it was an awesome display

* Other injured players; Mickey Bell, Liam Bradley and James Knox supported from the sideline, but were gutted at missing out

Headlines from the pictures:

* Cliff on the side line looks as though he is willing the maul over the line

* Brett on the hoof, takes some stopping

* Chester having a trundle

* Good pictures of the Chester, Harry, Chester, Joe try

* Boggle wrapping up the winger

* Savs, Nick and Coatsey running the STC backs raggit

* Marges goes up for the ball…. which way did it go

* Alex’s hat…..he won’t be needing that when he soon leaves us to go and play rugby in Dubai!!

Team:

1.  Brett

2.  Keith Winter – PF

3.  Paul Winter – GB

4.  David Miller – Windy

5.  Michael Carr –  Marge

6.  Nathan Carmichael

7.  Stu Bailey

8.  Craig Harrison – Harry

9.   Nick Coates

10. Chris Coates

11. Craig Barlow

12. Steve Davidson – Chester

13. Andy Savory – Savs

14. Chris Collings

15. Joe Snowdon

Subs

Stephen Thackery – Thacks

Ray Spoors

Scott Finlay

Alex Johnson

Simon Drennon

Phil Partington – Grumpy

Paul Strachan – Strachs

Shaun Cuthbertson.

Graeme Tones – Tonsey

Steph Mullens – Beast

Anthony Jameson – Jambo

Paul Dingley

James Knox  – injured

Mickey Bell – injured

Liam Bradley – injured