Blaydon end disappointing run with a comfortable win

IN a game of nine tries, the only one resulting from creative open play was finished off by dual-registered Newcastle Falcons lock Will Witty.

The Malton and Norton product, who will be 20 tomorrow, looks a bright prospect as an athletic forward in the modern mould, whereas Wharfedale had to rely on dreadlocked ex-West Hartlepool prop Adam Howard to bolster their second row.

The visitors fell below the standards set in their two wins against Mowden Park and, like Tynedale, do not appear to have the strength in depth to withstand a spate of injuries.

Their unflagging spirit, however, brought them two late tries and clinched two bonus points which kept them well above the National One danger zone.

Blaydon can also breathe easily after ending a disappointing run of one win in five with a more comfortable victory than the scoreline suggests.

They led 20-3 shortly after half-time and 34-15 with two minutes of normal time left, but doubtless they would rather go to Wharfedale next season than Cinderford.

Despite good conditions for fluent rugby, the contest was notable more for a scrummaging battle which resulted in both sides being awarded a penalty try.

Wharfedale's came in the fourth minute of added time and was their eighth penalty try of the season, which is two more than any player has managed.

Two of Blaydon's five came directly from line-outs and a third resulted from a good take by Witty, who was driven on before the ball was released for his Falcons colleague, Craig Willis, to dummy over from close range.

Willis, from Billingham, is one of three Teessiders in the Blaydon backs, alongside Andrew Baggett and winger Tom Jeffery, who took some knocking down on the rare occasions he had the ball.

Willis, recently returned from injury, was back in his early season position of fly half. It is too early to tell whether he will ever be Premiership class, but as well as having fellow North-Easterners Tom Catterick and Rory Clegg ahead of him at Newcastle he will also have to contend with ex-All Black Mike Delany next season.

His opposite number, Jamie Guy, playing against his former club, put Wharfedale ahead with an early penalty, but Blaydon went in front after 13 minutes after taking a scrum against the head.

They followed up with a penalty to the corner and with the visitors expecting the usual catch-and-drive, tapped the ball down to work a move round the front of the line-out, producing a try for prop Robbie Kalbraier.

Baggett converted from the touchline and added an easy penalty before the lead was stretched just before half-time.

Two catch-and-drives were thwarted, but an illegal intervention by Howard earned a yellow card and from the third attempt flanker Harry Bate touched down.

It looked like being a stroll for Blaydon when, four minutes after the interval, winger Tom Bramwell made good ground before they moved the ball right then left for Witty to stride over from ten metres.

But Wharfedale came back with a slightly fortunate try when what looked a harmless chip by Guy was badly fumbled.

Blaydon's scrum pressure produced their penalty try after 63 minutes. It came when the visitors' front row popped up in the next engagement after prop Jake Armstrong was sin-binned during a series of re-sets.

That gave Blaydon the four-try bonus and Willis's try put them out of sight before they eased off and allowed Wharfedale some reward for their spirited efforts.