Saturday 23rd January – Gateshead IIIs 5, Blaydon Bricks 18

Application version: 1.1.2009.0130

Application version: 1.1.2009.0130

 

Bricks get back to winning ways in the league with a close fought game against Gateshead IIIs on a day when we had 25 in the squad and made 10 changes at half time. All this with a bunch of cry offs, Stu B, Paul D, Damien, Anth, Grumpy, Nunny, it could have been the whole side we changed at halftime.

 

Pitch was a bit heavy which nullified our backs game a little and it was predominately a forwards battle.

 

Highs and Lows:

  • 1st half:
    • Good to see Finnaz back, to boost our front row players and all the ‘jockeying’ between him and Paul over who plays which side.
    • Ryan D was due back as well but slept in …
    • Keith W and Toddy were making hits everywhere
    • We were dominant in the set piece with Windy and Toddy stealing line out ball and our scrum driving Gateshead back to turnover ball, both halves.
    • Liam’s charge down almost resulted in a score
    • Matt made some good yards at 10, but Gateshead flyhalf was up quick killing a lot of the ball we would have took wide
    • Ian Bennie was dropped on his nexk in a dodgy tackle which resulted in some pushing on the pitch and resulting shouting from a spectator on the side line but the Gateshead captain quickly stopped all antics and got everyone back to rugby
  • 2nd half:
    • Good to see JK back in Blaydon colours after 2 year out following injury, he showed glimpses of what’s to come and controlled the 2nd half.
    • Also good to see Savs back, who can cover anywhere in the backs from 10 outwards and will make yards
    • Mick (G15) scythed down Savs in his own 22 as he tried to run out, Savs response was, he didn’t want to kick, his legs wouldn’t work properly and he had to try contact. Mick was also heard encouraging his centres by pointing out the Blaydon centres were old, funny thing coming from the old farther time fullback.
    • Fibon added lightning pace and always looked dangerous with a few runs, the 2nd one from his own 22 to score, the 3rd after a very good kick ahead form JK, only for the ball to bounce into touch on the rough pitch with Fibon clear
    • Harry and horse made large yards, backed up by Toddy
    • Horse was repeatedly penalised for high tackles, you can have some sympathy with him given his height, the funny thing was the amount of complaining he did about it, haven complained when penalised each time and then after one of our scores he recognised his opportunity to get the ref standing still, he ran up the park and windge, windge, windge. He wins the strop of the season award so far.
    • Chester made a return after weeks out and quickly got back into the fray, not quite sure where one of his horizontal runs was going but it resulted in a fumble between him and Phil (photo caught it) He protested too much in the bar and it was decided he dropped it, as he was trying to peel an orange in his pocket at the time.
    • Got to mention Phil Rayson interception, I think the speed deceived Gateshead backs
    • Gateshead young scrum half was a good player and caused trouble all day, good solo run for Gateshead’s only try, as he avoided all tackles and ran in from half way
    • Injury update, I (Bruce) have two deep stud ‘holes’ in my right leg from where Joe was swung round and thrown off the pitch.
    • Harry (Gateshead Manager) came across after the game and thanked our kicker for missing as many kicks, no beer or bribes were exchanged, only gratitude

 

Gateshead side copped well with everything we threw at them and the game was very close all the way through, but the number of fresh legs from us made the difference in the last quarter. It was a hard fought game with strong tackles going in all over the park as we come to expect playing Gateshead, good exchanges in the bar afterwards, few beers and back to Blaydon for more.

 

Next week we expect Gosforth to pull out of the fixture and we will bring forward the Ponteland games a week, to this next weekend.

 

 

Photos:   https://www.flickr.com/photos/26086313@N08/collections/72157655929371234/

 

 

Scorers:

Trys: Keith, Fibon, Stracks

Conv: Joe missed them all 100% fail rate

Penalties: Joe

 

  1. Finnaz.
  2. Keith               (Craig McB)
  3. GB
  4. Keith Oliver.
  5. Cliff                (Horse)
  6. Ian Bennie     (Stracks)
  7. Mark Todd
  8. Windy          (Harry)
  9. Stu Reay         (Liam)
  10. Matt              (John Kelly)
  11. Liam              (Fibon)
  12. Hopey           (Chester)
  13. Divers           (Phil Rayson)
  14. Goggle          (Joe)
  15. Joe                (Savs)