Saturday 5th Sept. South Shields 17, Blaydon Bricks 29

 

Our opening game of the season was away to South Shields (ex South Tyneside College) with a new look, new changing rooms, new bar and some of the best after game food we have seen since the days of Durham Constabulary, with roast tatties, mash spuds, Yorkshire pudding with sausages, thick gravy and pizza. Good luck to South Shields in their new era, whose’s set up is much better this season.
Our thanks to Rob from South Shields, also Steve and Greg from Winlaton who helped out as the Bricks were very short on forwards on the day. Also thanks to Damien and Goggle for playing on the forwards following injuries. Final player thanks goes to Joe Melia who came a long and played the first half for us as he returns from injury.

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Photos:

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

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On the game, it was a typical first game performance, it was not a good performance. The first gathering of the Bricks for the season was in the bar before the game, there was a check on training performed and Keith did not disappoint, his update was he’d been watching sport on the TV……

So let’s do a couple of headlines, just so there is a little bit of rugby in the match report and let’s move on to next week, quickly, highs and lows:

• Damien took a good ball and broke through making good yards
• SS had no answer to Joe going blind, passing to Divers who out in Damien and then Greg, so guess what we stopped doing that
• Hopey (scrum half) was getting himself excited and running across the pitch to take the ball to players, bringing SS defence with him, pass the ball, that’s what scrum halves do…..
• Matt, Joe and Divers making good yards
• Chester complaining, he’s becoming the apprentice Mr Grumpy for being penalised for holding onto the ball, Ref was right.
• Anthony making tackles
• Phil Rayson making a tackle
• I didn’t see Keith drop the ball, that does mean it didn’t happen….
• Rob from SS played a greta game against his club and ran in from 20 yards to score.

Scorers:
Try’s; Damien, Greg Holder, Rob (SS) Goggle, Divers
Conv: Joe 1, Matt 1

1. Rob from South Shields. (Matty Bell)
2. Keith
3. Joe Melia. (Damien)
4. Cliff. (Craig Barlow)
5. Steve Kain
6. Greg Holder
7. Windy
8. Strachs
9. Hopey
10. Joe Snowdon. (Phil Rayson)
11. Damien. (Anthony)
12. Chester
13. Divers. Dir
14. Craig Barlow. (Joe)
15. Matt Goodall