Blaydon 51 – Wharfedale 14

On the end of a six match winning run Blaydon disappointingly could only manage a draw last week but roared back to top form with at times a brilliant performance against a side 2 places above them in the league and themselves on a winning sequence.

They had to recover from a 3rd minute set back when Wharfedale with all the possession scored an impressive try through scrum-half Philip Woodhead but from then on it was all Blaydon. Not only did they successfully snuff out the many Wharfedale attacks long before they reached the danger zone but were absolutely irresistible going forwards, scoring 7 tries in the process.

A penalty try was inevitable when the visitors pulled down a rolling maul as it crossed their line, and then came a burst of 2 tries in 6 minutes by on loan full-back Zach Kibirige. Having squandered 2 lineouts near the line they were handed a third opportunity further out and this time held on to their own ball to move it through the forwards and Kibirige to finish off with the neatest of side-steps.

Quickly they then found themselves under pressure at the other end and having turned it over were unable to get in a clearance kick and left with no choice but to run from their own line. They wisely shipped it out to Kibirige who set off on a length of the field run leaving defenders for dead to touch down what will be a contender for ‘try of the season’.

A delighted Director of rugby Micky Ward afterwards described the young winger as ‘international class’, adding “He gets a touch of the ball once or twice and he scores”. Ward went on “:.We were very wary of them coming up here but the lads stood firm and we earned the right to enjoy ourselves”.

An early score-line of 0-7 had progressed to 22-7 by the interval after which the tries came thick and fast.

with Harry Bate combining to put Chris Wearmouth over and then scoring himself after Keith Laughlin had gathered in at a line-out.

Wharfedale finally pulled one back through Christian Georgiou but Blaydon were unstoppable, Tom Jeffery racing in from half way, followed by a barnstorming man-of -the -match Ben Morris, and Andrew Baggett completing the rout with 5 conversions and a brace of penalties.

John Brennan]