Bricks suffer defeat, with a heavy cost on injuries for next week’s Cup Quarter Final

Application version: 1.1.2009.0130

Saturday 20th February – Blaydon Bricks 12, Sunderland XV 19

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Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313%40N08/collections/

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When Medicals conceded the league game we picked up Sunderland in a friendly at Crowtrees which resulted in a bunch of injuries giving us a selection headache just before our Quarter Final with Winlaton Saxons next week. Injury/unavailability list:

  • Flyhalf – Having already lost Coatsey earlier in the season, we lost Lowsey to a shoulder injury putting him out for next week
  • Fullback – Matt went off with a leg injury
  • Second Row – Keith Oliver another leg injury, Steve Sewell leaving the field and needing stitches in a head injury, with Horse already away and Knoxy injured, may have to phone Tommy….
  • Backrow – Stracks is away but left the field with a badly raked arm, courteousy of Stu R
  • Backs – Joe had to leave the field as did Nunn with injuries, Goggle leg injury
  • Hooker – Keith Winter left the field with a neck injury

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It was a strange game, a number of people didn’t seem up for it, which often happens the week before a cup match, as peple worry about getting injured, etc. with some exceptions; Savs who tackled everything, Finnas made good yards, Anth who ran interference (put himself in the way to stop the opposition) a number of times and our 3 U18s; Nathan, Jack and Jake all of which put themselves about the park. Let’s hope it was just the fact it was the week before the cup match and it was a game without a lot of meaning. It certainly had meaning to Sunderland, who although they were two trys down at half time, kept at it and won the turnover a number of times, as they got to the ball in numbers, with Blaydon standing off or being slower to the breakdown.

Highs/Lows on the game:

1st half:

  • It all started badly at the kick off, when Stracks did a GB and dropped the kick off, I’ve never seen him drop a ball at the kick off before
  • Savs made 2 or 3 try saving tackles as Sunderland big centre made a number of breaks through the middle
  • Stu R was having to go in to secure ball from turnover but no one took up the scrumhalf position, so balls were popping out
  • Lowsey core a good try but damage his shoulder again going over for the score and came off
  • Stu Reay raked Stracks as he presented the ball to him
  • Scrummage was in command all game and driving Sunderland back
  • Liam made a number of good breaks, one being stopped just short of the line, but everyone was watching him and no one supported him, who could have finished it off, so the ball was stripped by the Sunderland defence
  • The photo of the Sunderland winger is to show the size of the guy who stopped Horse on his gallop

2nd half:

  • Matt put in a great tackle but was soon after off the field with a leg injury
  • Hopey made a 50 yard break and was just pushed out before the try line
  • Anth made some good stops and put some good low tackles in, as well as generally putting his body on the line by just getting in the way. He did get gassed by what looked like a prop on the outside. A lesson in not stereo typing, he was a big lad, but quick.
  • Jake and Jack made their Brick’s debuts and got round the park well and made some strong tackles
  • Nathan again was everywhere making tackles
  • Good to see Scotty making a return to playing, if he’d returned a couple weeks ago he could have been an answer to our flyhalf issues.
  • Anyone know what Damien and Keith W are doing on the photos J

Sorry I’m sure they was a lot more good things, but I have no notes and just don’t remember them, so with the day finishing very strangely with everyone going home, (hopefully for brownie points to be able to stay out late next week….) I didn’t get the updates in the bar I normally get.

Onwards and upwards, All teams get a game like this now and again, the number of substitutions made didn’t help and you don’t see a game like this from the Bricks very often, let’s just be thankful it wasn’t next week. So one to forget and time to move on to next week and see how many of the walking wounded recover for the cup match next week, which is at Crowtrees. So we have a re-arranged game for the firsts and 3 cup quarter final matches for the other Blaydon teams, be interesting to see what team turns up from Winlaton, as it’s a non-league Saturday next week and their first team don’t have a game. Last time we lost the 4th team Shield was 6 year ago, when Durham got the dates wrong then as well and we played on a non-league Saturday. Is there anyone I have not told I hate Cup Matches, don’t get me wrong, its great a after the game, if you win, but the anxiety before the game, selecting who to play, and the whole playing of it I could really do without.

Bring it on, what will be will be……………….. the one known thing, is there will be Stella after the game and drink, drink, drink.

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Scorers:

Trys; Lowsey, Stu B

Conv; Hopey

  1. Finnas       (Ryan)
  2. Keith W
  3. GB               (Finnas)
  4. Horse         (Jack Inglis)
  5. Steve S     (Keith O)
  6. Ian B           (Horse)
  7. Stu B           (Jake U18s)
  8. Stracks        (Windy)
  9. Stu R            (Nathan)
  10. Lowsey       (Joe inj.) (Paul D)
  11. Paul D         (Anth)
  12. Hopey         (Nunny inj.) (Damien)
  13. Chester
  14. Liam,           (Damien) (Liam)
  15. Savs             (Matt inj.) (Hopey)