Gateshead II’s 14 – Blaydon Development 45

[match id=134]

Today a young squad of talented individuals cobbled together at the last minute in true development style played as a team in order to see off a determined Gateshead. So many of our players had not trained, to me fitness was a worry.

Having only 16 players against a squad of 20 plus on a hot day could have spelled trouble, but the lads pulled the cat out of the bag. An early score put the home team on the back foot and allowed Blaydon room to sort out our game plan.

Gateshead had a heavy pack, so on a hot day we knew they would tire quickly. Using the surgical boot of Charlie we were able to gain territory and play the game in Gateshead’s 22. As the game progressed our back line began to bombard Gateshead, punching holes in the home team’s defence supported by the forwards the points kept toting up, as the clock ticked on the forwards took control up front and destroyed the Gateshead pack in the scrums, but Gateshead to their credit responded with two text book scores, one from their back line and one from their forwards.

They were very unlucky not to score a third when a kick ahead bounced awkward in front of the covering Blaydon winger allowing the chasing Gateshead centre to break free with only the try line beckoning to be judged to have knocked on when the ball bounced up in front of him to collect. The final score 45-14. It was good to see some old faces returning to the fold and better to see the lads back playing great rugby.

Well Done!