Blaydon continue winning ways – Blaydon 22 Blackheath 16

On a day of more downs than ups Blaydon were in arrears for most of the second half until No8 Jason Smithson came to the rescue 9 minutes from time with a trademark try from a driving maul, his second of the game.

Andrew Baggett added the extras with an excellent conversion and then rubbed salt into the visitors wounds with a penalty in the final play of the game.

Despite having an abundance of possession and territory and at times producing impressive individual back play Blaydon somehow contrived to get it wrong at a string of set-pieces and had 3 clearance kicks charged down in their 22, one of which resulted in a gift try for Blackheath.

After 13 minutes of aimless kicking they opened the scoring when Chris Wearmouth gathered in at a line-out and Smithson went over from the driving maul. Almost from the restart however an Andrew Davies clearance rebounded into the arms of visiting flanker Jesse Liston who took full advantage.

Simon Whatling put over the conversion and then a penalty to give Blackheath the lead but after Blaydon had spurned a certain try with a forward pass the visitors pack crumbled in front of their posts with Tom Bason and then David Allen yellow carded for pulling down scrums in retreat.

A penalty try, improved by Baggett restored the home advantage until right on the interval when another charge-down resulted in a simple penalty for Whatling to make it 12-13 at the break, the same player then successful again early in the second period.

Nathan Bailey, Harry Bate, Tom Grimes and Sean Brown all created chances in between some more aimless kicking but justice was done for the overall better side with Smithson’s late effort.

John Brennan