Blaydon RFC 43, Blackburn RUFC 29

On their first visit to Crow Trees in many years, the visitors found the home backs in good form being outscored by 7 tries to 4 their 2 tries in the final 4 minutes somewhat reducing the deficit.

Blaydon began in sparkling form and from the kick-off kept possession, handling in style thus keeping the visitors on the back foot.   After 3 minutes, without touching the ball, Blackburn found themselves 7 – 0 down when bustling centre Alex Clarke burst through for Ryan Foreman to add the first of his 4 match conversions.   After this score, Blackburn came more into the game before halfway through the first period Blaydon fly half Jonathan Carey cleverly put through winger Nathan Bailey who beat the final defender to touch down wide out.   However, following this score, Blaydon fell away and offside in front of the posts allowed full back Liam Fifield to kick a simple penalty and then winger Geoff Skotic went over for the former to add the extras and half time arrived with the scoreline 12 – 10 to the home side’s advantage..

Immediately after the break the home side were on the attack and scored 2 early tries when, following an opposition yellow card, made a series of forward drives and saw Fred Lockwood touch down and then fine handling saw Sean Pyle add another both of which were unconverted.   The home side, however, went off the boil and very soon after, visiting fly half Mick Maher reduced Blaydon’s lead with a fine try only for this to be cancelled out with a typical Keith Laughlin score and then second tries for both Clarke and Lockwood put the game out of sight.

Blaydon in the last few minutes suffered a couple of injuries and were in sixes and sevens giving the visitors the opportunity to add a further 14 points in the last 4 minutes of the game.  The scorers were Maher and Fifield and gave the scoreline a strange perspective.

However, 5 points and a victory was what we set out to do and gave us encouragement for next week’s travel to Alnwick who currently lie 13th in the table.