Saturday 10th February – Blaydon Bricks 26, Percy Park Pumas 29

Another week with a great turn out, outside of James Murray and Josh Simpson guesting from the 2s, we had a further 11 subs on the day, looking good for getting 4 teams out next week and ongoing. The influx of players continues, as does the number of U18s transitioning to senior rugby.

This was another very good game, double header, played in the right spirit, some hard hitting by two physical sides that both knew they had been in a game on Sunday morning.

Making so many changes at half time again disrupted the team, but it’s more about getting people game time and people back playing, after struggling to get 4 teams out for a while. Good news for cup matches that all the U18s who have played infrequently are available on mass, Vets are supporting, injured are returning and people have taken holidays to be available.

Scorers

Trys; Vinnie, Justin, James M, Hopey

Conv: James 3

Photos: Still not a lot, after all that hype, Finnaz had too many to drink and failed to show
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313%40N08/collections/

Highs & Lows:

  • Forwards dominated the set piece; scrummage and line out, both halves again
  • Good to see Ian Kelly available again
  • Will Daniels helped out again as prop, he’s getting really good in there, but I kept my word and he didn’t play 80 minutes at prop, nearer 70…. Soz.
  • Stu Bailey and Toddy were tackling everything
  • Paul Winter dropped yet another kick off…. not as bad as Keith dropping the ball just short of the line. Both had good games AGAIN… and were only ones on for 80 minutes, but it’s more fun to pull out the mistakes…
  • Tony Horsefall finally got permission to make his debut in a brick’s shirt, good start
  • Tom Edmondson made his return to a Blaydon shirt and made good yards
  • Good to see Chester and Damien Ameer-Beg back from injury
  • Good interchange with James, Hopey and Damien A. which nearly resulted in a try
  • Vinnie, paul W, Keith W and James K made good yards 2nd half with Vinnie scoring
  • Justin and Callum G were all over the park
  • Lewis’s chip and chase was well executed
  • Hopey finished off a good break with a foot race to the line, given he had lots pace outside, it was good job he didn’t get caught.
  • James was unlucky to get caught down the right hand side
  • Anth cried off again, even from waterboy!

 

In addition to more players, good to see more management capability at the game, even though there was a Ryton/Winlaton first team game, we had Keith Richardson at the game. See photo of Keith with our sideline motivational speaker/manager, Cliff.  Also good to see Tony Horsefall, wearing a Blaydon jersey and taking part in the game in the second half. Keith was still wearing his Vulcans branding, but sure that’s just a matter of time….  once Winlaton committee read this and finds out he deserted them, he’ll surely be bared, we’ll make him welcome again, back at Blaydon….)  :-)

So next weekend is the quarter finals of the Durham Cup with Bricks away at Chester Le Street and Development away at West Hartlepool, bring it on!

1. Paul Winter
2. Keith Winter
3. Ian Kelly (Will Daniels)
4. Mark Todd (Oliver Henry)
5. Tom Edmondson (James Knox)
6. Cameron Richardson (Justin Clarke)
7. Stuart Bailey (Callum Gascoigne)
8. Paul Strachan (Paul Vinnicombe) )
9. Liam Bradley (Josh Simpson)
10. James Murray (Lewis Hill)
11. Damien Ameer-Beg (Paul Dingley)
12. Steven Davidson (Tony Horsefall)
13. Lewis Hill (Peter Andrew Bath)
14. Craig Oliver (Craig Barlow)
15. Mark Hopewell (James Murray)

Physio by Windy