Durham 4th Team County Shield Final – Blaydon Bricks beat Houghton Boars to retain 4th Team Shield

In what was a close encounter, Boars were beaten in the end by:
• youth coming through the Blaydon system, with 3 under 19s in the squad
• the strength of the Bricks bench, selection policy based on number of games, where we have multiple options for positions, meant we had players on the bench as good as players on the field
With scores like 12-12 and 17-17 at half time, Bricks defence had to be on its best and it was, throughout the team.

At half time Bricks turned around and spirits were lifted, as we now had the advantages, we were now down the hill, with the wind, with the sun in the Boars eyes and we knew we had a strong bench, but we still had a fight on our hands. Couple subs at half time, 3 more 10 mins in and you started to see the bench doing the damage.

Cup finals are always hard, with such a large squad (Brick’s have used 64 players so far this season) who work shifts, have other commitments, yet naturally all plan to be available for this one game, inevitably some people miss out. So we’re putting this win down to all 64 players, who got us through the season, got us to joint 2nd in the Blyth South league and through the previous rounds.

I’m not going to name the starting 15 or the finishers (thanks Eddie for that term) who came on and finished this one, remember all the hard work of the starters, we are just going to celebrate being lucky to have such a strong squad and being the Durham 4th team shield winners again and hope it continues.

Playing 4 cup matches on the same day in previous rounds stretched Blaydon’s resources, we didn’t have 7 subs as we had this day in previous rounds and got through. We could have strengthened the squad, but that would have made selection even harder.

I will single out the 3 young lads:
• Adam Turnbull U18 2nd row, who watched us play early in the season with his dad playing until injured, turned 17, signed papers to play senior rugby and has been ever present since December and MoM in ¼ final against a strong Ryton side.
• Two U19s, who brought their own shirts, as Bricks shirts were too big for them, who had previously injected pace for us, having helped us win games like top of the table clash against Gateshead 3s:
o Jak Tuck, with our scrum half away in Manchester Jak started, his tackling, goal kicking and speed caused loads of problems for Boars
o Ollie Wiliams, last year I almost wore out our front rows in the final, with a shortage of ‘fresh’ subs, so we were determined to have prop and hooker fresh on the bench to cover and Ollie covered the bench as Hooker. Our other two hookers seem to have semi-retired and didn’t make themselves available. His tackling was immense, he got round the park as fast as our back rows and what was it like, having a hooker who could throw in straight…. Well actually can’t remember now and not worth getting used too, is it…..
Three really good players destined for higher teams, the future is bright for Blaydon looking at these guys.

As far as the game, there are loads of pictures, take a look, our scrum was great against a bigger pack, line out with Mark and Adam took all our ball, forwards took the ball on well, backs lines of running had Boars scrambling in defence and everyone tackled like the shield depended on it, which it did.

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Great to see Robin in the club after the game, he has patched our side up many times, as physio to keep us on the pitch in all games including finals

Photos, thanks to Derek for photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313@N08/albums/

Talking to Marc , Houghton have a good Colts side this year and they will benefit from that injection next season, they will regroup and come back at us again next year.

So the season isn’t over, on 24th we have a hard game being a double header against Sunderland 2s on the AGP, which will finish our league off, assuming Gateshead win their remaining game they will take 1st place, but we will be very close if we can win that game and you never know, they may slip up!

A league and Cup double is still a possibility….

Scorers:
Trays: Toddy, Divers, Ollie 2, Matt G, Steve S ??  I missed a couple of try scorers
Conv: Jak 4+

Final score of 47-17 did not reflect how close this game was.

Both sides had a sizable amount of youth in their sides with many Bricks not available following the bruising cup quarter final against Ryton 2s previous week. Gateshead had 3 games at home, so the game was played on a sizable pitch at Dryden School. Good to have a number of last seasons U18s on the pitch, to play a game with their coach Matt, it gave us a load of pace and ability, just as well given the size of pitch.

Scorers:
• Trys: Jak, Matt G & Rob Pyle
• Conv: Jak 3

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Photos, thanks to Derek & Rob: 100 or so more online:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313@N08/albums/with/72157706895656514

Highs & Lows:
• Lewis and Jak gave Gateshead loads of headaches both in attack and defence
• As did Max, when Matt passed…… 😊
• Craig had a good few breaks from deep.
• We stole Rob P from the Development changing rooms when Jon C was lost chasing cows, him, Jake and Toddy were all over the park.
• Tom wanted me to mention his delicate pass to Matt G for his run in try, from half way… Shame it knacked his ribs and we had to take him off, next time Tom, no passing, Keith will tell you its dangerous and not encouraged in the cuddle club
• Think Paul was picking up daisies at one of the kick offs, certainly the ball went through his hands on the floor…
• And Keith must have knocked on, as well as being penalised many times for not straight
• Craig Y followed a kick, stopped Mick (Gateshead fullback) in his tracks and Savs ran in and stole the ball, unluck not to score
• Jon Curry showed up after chasing cows, owning up to hurting for days after last weeks game, but he was back for another game, once rugby gets you, there is no escape. Gateshead’s youngsters faces were a picture when he came off the bench.
• Gateshead never looked like scoring throughout the match, our defence was immense, but for a few wrong options we would have got max points from 5 trys and overtook Gateshead.
• Good to see Derek making a come back from injury

Nest week 2nd March Cup Semi-final Seaton Carew 2 at home

Team:

1 Paul Winter
2 Keith Winter
3 Tom Hirst
4 Matthew Johnson (Derek Turnbull)
5 Mark Todd (Jon Curry)
6 Jake Armstrong
7 Callum Gascoigne
8 Rob Pyle
9 Lewis Sinclair
10 Jak Tuck
11 Craig Youngmn
12 Matt Goodall
13 Max Nellis
14 David Reay
15 Savs

Winlaton chose to play up the hill in the first half and were 3 scores down at half time. They always claim the hill is worth 12 points, so they we a little behind at turnaround, but the youngsters we unleashed in the second half, ran up the hill for fun and Bricks won both halves.

This was a double header league game, so good bag of points for Bricks to stop the downward slip in the league.

Highs & Lows:
• Lost a few players at last minute; Strachs to 2s, Arran to sickness and Jake just went AWOL
• Lewis, Charlie, Alex and Cam were late due to car trouble, so all 4 played the 2nd half, Sorry Saxons
• Lee was saving himself for his Ski holiday, sideline counted/announced 3 missed tackles, bar it was all about staying on his feet to cover outside men, ankle tapping props, just get down and get tangled in their legs.
• Hopey actually tackled well in the centres, Steve Sewell chopped people down
• Bricks forwards had the upper hand in scrum and line out with Adam jumping (Turnbull, not Knox)
• First half was a master class in forward play, Scott did some damage, Adam T was everywhere, Stu was back and played as an extra forward at 9

• Savs & Divers lines had Saxons asking, which way did he go

2nd Half
• Didn’t look good for Saxons, when shortly after the KO our backs ran the ball from just outside the 22 for Alex to score.
• Saxons 9 (Mick) was heard to say, I couldn’t catch him in my car’
• Charlie (9) Cam (12 and Alex (13) played first game for Bricks (had played 2s & Development) and fresh legs with that speed and ability cut Winlaton up, but as you’d expect Saxons heads didn’t go down.
• Dags had a good half at 8 and did the damage for Saxons later in 2nd half, but poor tackling from the Bricks didn’t help, not just Lee and Hopey wasn’t on!

Photos, thanks to Derek Turnbull, see them all via link: hhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313@N08/albums/72157702653548832

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Comments on 6 photos selected above:

• Damien making new friend
• Keith, what you doing right up there and passing…. For youngens to score
• Caught on camera, one of Lee’s missed tackles
• Divers taking Dags for a walk, also nice shot of Brick’s Tour socks on Charlie
• Forwards looking relaxed, NOT

Lee looks like he’s reading the tackling manual

Scorers:
• Trys; Goggle, Adam T 2, Divers , Savs, Charlie, Alex 3
• Conv. Hopey 2, Lewis 3

Team:
1. Paul Winter
2. Keith Winter
3. Tom Hirst
4. Scott Kelly
5. Adam Knox (Adam Turnbull)
6. Steve Sewell
7. Adam Turnbull (Stu Bailey)
8. Harry
9. Stu Bailey (Charlie Mandley)
10. Savs (Lewis Hill)
11. Damien Shaw (Lee Guest)
12. Lee Guest (Cam Moore)
13. Hopey (Alex Young)
14. Craig Barlow
15. Phil Divers

Big thank you to Mariners who loaned us 2 players so we had a full side, as well as a 3rd when we got an injury later on, thank you Ray, Jack and Screech. Thanks also to Ian Bennie for making a return and Keith Oliver and Toddy for forgetting about injuries and playing.

Shields lost loads of players over the summer and are struggling getting two teams out presently, but their spirits are good and they never took a backward step in this game, we wish them all the best for their recruitment/recovery and look forward to the return game on 19th January.

Have to say immensely proud of the attitude of the Bricks players on the day, following cry offs and loads of unavailability, we were warming up with 13 players, knowing we would get some players, but not what positions, facing a large squad from Shields, a lesser side could have been disheartened, but the Bricks, just looked around at the quality of players which were there and got on with the job in hand, people played out of position to help the team (Harry in centre, Lee at 9 and Ian on the wing) and Bricks were deserved winners on the day.

This game had everything:

• Mariners were great sports and the players they loaned us really put themselves about
• We got the loan players just as the game started, so had no time to warm up with them, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell, they fitted straight in.
• Lee Guest at 9, yes 9, after Thacks bailed on Saturday and Stu B was called up to the 2s
• Ian Bennie out of retirement (not sure he ever truly announce it anyway)
• Harry playing in the centre, he gave his shirt back at the end of the game and announced it didn’t need washing
• Justin was back from injury – think he decided whatever it was couldn’t get any worse
• A large crowd, Mariners brought a number with them and it was a nice day and lots of Blaydon support turned out
• David Reay with outrages blue laces, it was determined, these being too tight were the cause of his current injury
• Forwards played as a unit, lineout worked well, scrummage was dominant, every maul made good yards and we had runners standing off everywhere. Shields tackled loads, but must have been sick of seeing red shirts running into them. Never understood our foreheads, why they don’t avoid contact is beyond me, be hey thankfully they are on our side and I never had to play against them.
• Defence was immense from forwards and back
• Keith Oliver on the side line injured caught game fever and went on, again on basis he knows it will hurt next day, but he wanted to be involved, good to have him back
• Toddy stripping Guesty on the side line for his gear, after he decided his injury wasn’t that bad and wore a knee brace to cure anything/everything. He’s definitely one of the taller 9s around.

Highs & Lows:

• Keith got a try dis-allowed for crawling over the line with tacklers on his back and legs, it was more of a elbow shuffle really and the referee announce a ‘double’ movement was under selling (more quadruple) it!
• Savs & Harry broke the gain line, time after time
• Divers cleared everything up at the back and ran back at the Mariners gaining loads of yards
• Damien scored a good try down the side line
• Guesty must have ESP, he was heard attracting attention (screeching), loudly at a ruck, just before he got injured at the next breakdown….
• After in a previous exchange he was being high tackled, Craig Oliver (our new Mr Angry) was pulled up for a ‘Cliffy’ trademarked handoff, continued on so well by Paul W (although he doeth protest he is just clumsy) well more of an arm off, he protested his innocence, but then Cliff & Paul always did…
• Keith W managed to conquer his issue with the trifecta (breathing, running and passing) by catching the ball, stopping and passing, a good pass to Harry to score, whatever next, maybe Paul will catch a kick off.

Scorers:
• Trys; Divers, Damien S, Harry
• Conv. Divers

League: www.northumberlandrugbyunion.com/clubs/county-leagues/river-blyth-south-league

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313@N08/albums/72157701983515344

Thanks to Derek Turnbull for 141 pictures

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Few comments on the selection above:

• It looks like Guesty is willing that pass to get to someone…… remember he asked for praise on his tackling in the last match report…..
• First Mariners encounter with our stand in centre, Harry hanging just off Savs shoulder, a couple didn’t get up from those tackles in the middle of the park
• Any clue what Keith was doing on the flyhalf channel, well he caught it….
• Divers running from fullback was a little of ‘which way did he go’ at times
• Not sure how Stracks got left behind, looks like he must have ran backwards to get up steam, coming off the back of the scrum!
• Justin certainly looks focused
  .

Team:
1. Paul Winter
2. Ray – Loan player (Ian Bennie)
3. Keith Winter
4. Steve Sewell
5. Cameron Richardson
6. Jack – Loan Player
7. Justin Clarke
8. Stracks
9. Lee Guest (Mark Todd)
10. Savs
11. Ian Bennie (Screech – Loan Player)
12. Damien Shaw
13. Harry
14. Craig Oliver
15. Phil Divers