Saturday 17th Oct. – Winlaton Saxons 17, Blaydon Bricks 17

A valiant effort from the Bricks team on the day, who again just ran out of bodies, didn’t have the subs to take off the walking wounded and/or inject fresh legs when needed. Winlaton went from struggling to run a side, to come up with a squad of around 23, such is the rivalry between the two clubs, everyone turned out to look to beat the Bricks.

Winlaton Photos: Some very good photos posted Paul Hopps, look out for Anth taking down Rodders, shame he didnt get the tackle by Harry.   http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/winlatonvulcans/photos/vulcans-v-blaydon-17-10-2015-623653.html

 

Blaydon Photos: sorry omly circa 40,  got too wrapped up in the game to game, again. We really need a photographer for the Bricks (camera available to use)  https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313%40N08/collections/

It was a typical game game of 2 halves, with Winlaton playing up the hill first, conceding 3 trys and attacking the second half down the hill. Winlaton used rolling subs well to rest some of their big men and bring them back in the later stages of the second half, down the hill, when the Bricks were trying to hold onto the lead.

It could and should have been very different:
• if the referee had been better placed he would have seen Harry score in the corner coming off the back of a ruck, but he can only give what he can see
• for a second key game we lost our flyhalf Coatsey, at the time our back division were running great lines and breaking the gain line at will. Thacks stepped in and did a sterling job, as ever, h would be the first to admit, he doesn’t have the pace that Coatsey has to create an attack from anywhere.
• we had a couple of situations where simple hands would have worked the overlaps, but either the ball was kicked, miss passes lost the overlap or the ball was dropped on the day
• we had key cry offs late on, which left us short of players
The result was we dropped points in this league game and will have been knocked off the top of the league by Northern Panthers.

The Saxons game plan was predictable, but effective, catch and drive from the line out and a rolling maul which they used to make good yards, Blaydon defence was resolute especially around the try line and stopped wave after wave of attack. Winlaton backs were nullified by the Bricks back’s defence and they made little yards with ball in hand.

So another close game with the Saxons, who pressurised us until the final whistle, in the end it was a draw, not loss, but it’s lost points in the league title race.

Our injury list grew with injuries to Coatsey and Thacks, both out now, to add to already sizable list of; Adam, Cliff, Finnas, Horse, Joe, Richard, Savs, Windy and GB and Ryan working most Saturdays now, means we are down to minimum numbers to still maintain our fixtures.

Next weekend sees us come up against Northern Panthers at Crowtrees, who narrowly beat us earlier in the season, it will be another tuff game and we are going to need bodies, as last time they had a squad of about 25 players.

1. Brett
2. Craig McBurine
3. Big lad
4. Steve Sewell
5. Keith
6. Strachs
7. Ian Bennie
8. Harry
9. Stu Reay.
10. Chris Coates (Thacks)
11. Liam.
12. Thacks (Chester)
13. Divers
14. Paul Dingley (Anth)
15. Hopey