Tynedale 21 v 36 Hull Ionians
Chalk and cheese, night and day, popular idioms to which can now be added Huddersfield and Tynedale.

No-one who was at Lockwood Park and travelled up to Corbridge will have gone north with anything but low expectation, particularly those who learned that the Tynedale team was unchanged, following their victory over Wharfedale the previous Saturday, whereas Ionians were shorn of sufficient players as to be close to putting the bus driver on the bench.

Well, I can wait no longer to tell you that Ionians (from 1 – 20) put in a skilful, spirited and successful performance to record an excellent and thoroughly deserved victory. To find out how, read on.

Ionians made an inauspicious start. Ben Bell tackled with Farrellesque execution, leading to the ire of coach Steadman and a penalty award to Tynedale. Jake Rogers kicked to the corner and the hosts had an attacking line five yards from the line. They swept the ball across field and went over in the corner but good work prevented the grounding and Ionians were able to clear.

Tynedale were soon back to within 10 yards with another line-out, again the ball was swung across the park for winger, Rory Cramb, to canter over to score. Rogers nailed the touchline conversion and the home side were 7 up after five minutes.

Ionians’ response was immediate and emphatic. Confident enough in veteran hooker Ally Forth to call a throw to the back of the line, Declan Thompson peeled round and clattered his way into the Tynedale centres, quick ball away from the breakdown from Sam Pocklington was transferred through slick hands to winger James Thompson and he showed commendable pace and composure to race over in the corner.

A couple of minutes later Forth surprised himself as much as his team mates with a clean break on half way. He held on for what seemed an interminable amount of time for some support, when it did arrive the backs repeated the neat handling of the previous move to put Thompson in for his second try.

Ionians’ backs were irrepressible, with Jack Townend causing mayhem every time he had the ball. One powerful break created the opportunity for Cameron Burnhill and Thompson to exchange passes with Burnhill only inches short of the line before being bundled into touch.

Sam Wilson, in the unfamiliar role of full back on his 250th 1st team appearance, then entered the fray and he should possibly have backed himself as he sprinted for the line but chose to give Thompson a chance of his hat-trick. He was stopped a couple of yards short and Tynedale turned over the ball to clear the danger.

The respite was short lived. The exemplary James Sanderson was to the forefront in a rejuvenated team effort and his work at the breakdown set Ben Bell on the charge. Ionians swarmed forward and Townend attracted the ball like a magnet and bullied his way over for the try. Ben Smith added the conversion to give the visitors a 7 – 17 lead.

The bonus point try arrived on the half hour; Wilson marked his personal milestone with a blistering 50-yard run, after fielding a kick that failed to make touch, to cross out wide. Smith was less enamoured with his positioning, as he was just off target with his third difficult goal attempt.

Tynedale weren’t prepared to give in. Marshalled well by fly-half Rodgers, Tynedale launched a series of drives and battled up close to the Ionians line. With all the attention turned towards the stand-side corner flag Rodgers switched direction with a cross field kick that picked out Tynedale’s Ben Bell who had no more to do than bend his back to claim the score. Rodgers added the extras to bring the score to 12 – 22 at the break.

A bone crushing carry from Alan Hudson and a barnstorming break from Townend got Ionians underway in the second half and although Tynedale cleared the initial threat a well-judged 50/22 by Smith (whatever that is!) put the visitors back in control deep in the home half.
Ionians took the line-out and James Sanderson drove hard for the line, he was stopped short but the ever alert Pocklington was on hand to dummy past the defence and dive over to score. Smith’s conversion took the lead to 15 points.

Despite a period of possession Tynedale were unable to make any real headway, though Robert Parker offered a threat coming into the line from fullback, and Ionians got back in control to construct a stunning sixth score. Thompson, Burnhill and Cellela wove an intricate pattern up the stand-side touch before the ball was swung infield. Ben Smith picked out Callum Sanderson on the charge and he galloped clear on a 30 yard run, once he hit traffic up popped Lucas Powell to sweep up the ball and run under the posts. Smith’s conversion took the score to 14- 36 with an hour gone.

There had been nothing much to choose between the two sets of forwards to this point but Tynedale began to edge the scrums and secure more of the ball denying Ionians possession and they were able to lay siege to the visitors line. Outstanding defence kept them out for any number of phases but eventually Callum Burke burrowed over.

Tynedale were keen to gain at least a point from the match and had the best of the final 10 minutes. Parker put in a thundering run past several Ionians players before Burnhill eventually hauled him down but Ionians were in no mood to concede further, seeing the game out to the final whistle without mishap.

It was, first of all, an outstanding team performance, however worthy of mention are the contributions from Ally Forth, who was playing his first 1st team game for four years and young Alfredo Cellela, a winger worth his weight in gold.

The performance, as much as the result, was what made it a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and to cap it all I was home in time for a double helping of Early Doors. Something else that was well worth a watch.