Hull Ionians 28 – Blaydon 3

Another defeat for Blaydon, now 7 in a row, but not such a one-sided affair as the score-line might suggest.  They lead with an early penalty and were on top for the opening quarter and then in the second half for the final quarter.

Unfortunately however they failed to take their chances whereas Hull, also in a bad run with 3 defeats from the last 4, deservedly took theirs with some enterprising play.

Fly-half Brett Connon secured the points for Blaydon when the opposition strayed offside in front of their posts and it was not until the 27th minute that the first of 4 tries was conceded.

Lock-forward Ed Falkingham slipped a tackle in Hulls’ first incursion into the Blaydon 22 to cross near the posts with scrum-half Isaac Green adding the extras. Seven minutes later Falkingham was over again, this time collecting a fortuitous bounce from a kick ahead, Green once more on target to make it 14-3 at the interval.

Hull then had their best spell of the game, often putting a number of good phases together to open up the Blaydon defence and run in 2 more scores and Green to make it 100% with his conversion kicks.

No8 Phil Eccleston went in down the right from a spell of pressure and winger Sam Wilson completed the scoring with a break down the other side to cut back in and race clear from 30 metres.

The game ended as it had begun with Blaydon on top but their day was typified when skipper Keith Laughlin stormed downfield only to knock-on with the line beckoning.

John Brennan