Sat 15th September – Ryton 22, Blaydon Bricks 8

Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313%40N08/collections/

Trys Paul Dingley
Penalty Joe Snowdon

A moral victory, but at a high cost. The last thing we needed after no training, no warm up games, for the first game of the season was to play a Ryton 3 team fixture loaded with first team ringers, including the first team player coach.

If we could have keep a full team on the pitch it could have been a very different score. We had a boat load of injuries Windy, Strachs, Diver, Andy Turland, Liam Bradley, Chris Collins and were down to 12 men at one point when a Ryton player on the side line changed and came on.

It started well, we were 3 nil up at half time and the Ryton game plan being nullified in every phase and even the normal Ryton power play scrumage ‘softened’  by the new scrum laws. But numbers were always going to tell and the fitness, naturally

Highlights:

  • Big Lad is back and was straight back to business as if he had not been away
  • Alex, Liam’s brother made an impressive debut after not playing for years
  • Paul Dingley scored his first time try for the team
  • Andy Turland almost lasted a whole game
  • Joe Melia did a great job as hooker, got round the park well and can throw in straight…..
  • Liam had the best game we’ve seen him play, with numerous snipping runs
  • Thanks to Finnas, Stephen Dryden and Joe Melia from the development for playing for us
  • Poor Robin had to work really hard as physio, with injuries all over the place, I think we need to get him a motor scooter to get him around the pitch if this is going to continue

Next week we have a friendly with Winlaton, which should be a good social event with Kevin Scott, Paul Burr and Tony Rutherford playing their last game of rugby, in what is a retirement game. Few beers in order I think.

1 Paul Winter (Dir)
2. Joe Melia
3. Big Lad
4. Windy   (Stephen Dryden)
5. Marge
6. Andy Turland
7. Harry (Dir)
8.  Strachs
9. Liam Bradley
10.  Joe Snowdon
11.  Alex Bradley
12.  Phil Divers
13.  Chester
14.  Paul Dingley
15. Chris Collins