Alnwick 13 Blaydon 28
Blaydon comfortably made it 2 wins out of 2, both with a try scoring bonus point, but found Alnwick a much sterner test than the opposition 7 days earlier. They led from the 15th minute onward and were generally in control despite being down to 13 men for the final 10 minutes, having lost the services of 2 prop forwards.
Try scorer Darren Fearn went off injured whilst fellow prop Dan Lyall was red-carded for a second yellow card offence.
It was very much nip and tuck at first but Blaydon gradually turned the screw and from a spell of pressure the ball was whipped out to winger Jack Appleton to touch down in the corner.
Dan Taylor landed an excellent conversion to make it 0-7 but Alnwick hit back with 2 penalties by their fly-half Alex Robson and there was just 1 point in it as the interval approached. Blaydon however were able to restore their advantage with a second try coming after more good possession from the pack and Rob Lenderyou finishing off in the corner, Taylor on target once more to make it 6-14 at the break.
The second period began slowly with little of note until the 60th minute when yet more good work by the forwards from a line-out produced a 3rd Blaydon score, this time Fearn crossing the line and Jamie Guy adding the extras.
At which point the visitors went off the boil, and roared on by an enthusiastic crowd at what was Alnwick’s first home game in the Northern Premier League centre Callum Burn crossed for a try and landed the conversion himself.
Despite their shortage of personnel in the closing stages Blaydon controlled the ball well and were rewarded with the important 4th try in the final minute when Harry Borthwick went over from a line-out and Guy was again on target with the conversion.
John Brennan
