Third team cup final – Darlington Mowden Park 13 v 31 Blaydon Development

Darlington Mowden Park 13 v 31 Blaydon Development

Venue Darlington rfc

Date 13 April 2013

Time 1500 hrs.

Conditions Very dry and windy

After both teams agreed on the toss of coin for the venue the game was played at Darlingtonrfc on the third team pitch. Not very fitting for a cup final and then after the game having to travel to Mowden for a pie. The pitch sloped heavily to one side and Blaydon decided that we would play all our rugby on the lower side of the slope using our two excellent kickers to gain the advantage.

Joe Whyman kicked off and Mowden felt the full pressure of how much Blaydon wanted this cup to return to the full Blaydon trophy cabinet. After 2 minutes the first scrum Blaydon won against the head and totally dominated every scrum throughout the game. The front row of Joe Melia, Gareth Henderson, and Scott Finley tortured the Mowden pack and with the power houses of Ryan Convery and Steve Dryden at lock every scrum went back at a rate of knots. The first third of the game there was no score with Blaydon camped in the Mowden 22 just couldn’t get the breakthrough but were sapping the energy from Mowden.

On 27 minutes the first try came from a line out won against the head by Stu Treloar, the backs passed along the line with the forwards keeping up with the pace. Gareth Henderson arrived on the wing steaming forward to score his twentieth try of the season. The ball handling and pace Blaydon were playing at was very pleasing with backs and forwards linking up well.

27 minutes Blaydon 7 v 0 DMP Try Gareth Henderson Conv Joe Whyman

On 37 minutes DMP had their first attack forcing Blaydon to give away a penalty; this was duly converted by the DMP number 10.

37 Minutes Blaydon 7 v 3 DMP

The Blaydon forwards took the ball on in the thirty ninth minute, Ryan Denham breaking from his number 8 berth. He broke the gain line from forty metres out and was tackled with twenty five to go. Andrew Richardson (under 17s) playing at 9, was on hand at everybreakdown to produce good ball. On this occasion he passed out to Dryden and Convery, both boshed on when stopped; from nowhere Finley, Denham and Henderson collected anddrove on with only one outcome. A try for Gareth Henderson and converted by Joe Whyman Blaydon controlled the game at this point not given the DMP players any ball.

39 Minutes and half time Blaydon 14 v 3 DMP try Gareth Henderson Conv Joe Whyman.

After the re-start Blaydon shot themselves in the foot with one of the only mistakes of the game. Spilled the ball in the tackle then a number of indecisions let the DMP winger pick up the ball and score an unopposed try. This give DMP a glimmer of hope that they could hurt Blaydon and that followed an 18 minute evenly matched game.

42 Minutes Blaydon 14 v 8 DMP.

On sixty minutes our replacement scrum half Daniel Knox gave excellent ball to the backs, through the hands of Whyman, Holliday, and Jackson onto the running full back of Andrew Coyne an 18 year old youth prodigy. The pace they went forward was blistering a switch was made bringing the ball back from one side of the pitch to the other Stu Treloar caught the ball with 25 metres to go scoring with what he made look ease.

60 Minutes Blaydon 21 v 8 DMP

Joe Whyman scored a Penalty on 65 minutes to put some distance between the two teams. Blaydon were happy to have this as DMP against the run of play scored a try that was unconverted.

72 Minutes Blaydon 24 v 13 DMP

Then on 76 minutes Blaydon put the game beyond doubt with the try of the game with all players forwards and backs involved, switches and loops pace and aggression. Simon Carrrunning at pace passed off to Dean Holiday for a try just left of the posts. Converted by JoeWhyman he never missed a kick all game and that includes his kicking for touch.

Full time Blaydon development 31 v 13 DMP

This was a well-polished display by a very young development team; the players have really improved this season striking fear into all comers in the league and cup. They have one more game before the end of season on the 4th of May against Horden that could also see them wintheir Candy league. Not bad for a team that five years ago turned up at clubs with nine or ten players loaning players for a game.

A few thanks must be given at this stage, DMP players for the never say die attitude and to their forwards they won’t have gone back at that rate of knots for a lot of years if ever I expect. It takes two teams to produce such an entertaining game of rugby and DMP played their part.

Thanks to Robin Wannop as the county representative for giving up his time to present the trophy. The three officials for the way they refereed the game, without them we would not be able to play. Thanks to the committee at Blaydon for organising the coach to get us to the venue.

We will never know how Stuart Treloar catches the ball above his head when kicked from ten metres away from him with one hand.

 

Good luck to our seconds in the cup final next week; the Bricks and Development have shown you how it’s done.