Newcastle 1sts – 20
Northumbria 1sts – 4
By Ed Ainscoe and Kevin Davey
Coach Rob Jones’ devotion to the rebuilding of NURL is similar in scope and awe –inspiring genius to Gaudi’s Sagrada Família. Yet whilst the Catalan’s work remains unfinished, few can doubt that NURL’s Lazarus-esque resurrection is complete following the atonement for last year’s loss in the fixture.
The first stanza began at a frantic pace, with the blues immediately given the upper hand by a ponderous polytechnic prop, committing the cardinal sin of allowing the pig skin to bounce dead from the kick off, inviting a bold and rampaging assault on Northumbria’s line which would have done the Vikings proud. Mikey Ward, defying his age, provided the game breaking moment, marauding around the paddock and breaking the line at will, with his powerful surge and adroit offload putting cantankerous winger Kevin Davey into enough space for him to sniff out the line for NURL’s opening score.
For the remainder of the half Newcastle were their own worst enemies, continually attempting the enigmatic when the pedestrian would have sufficed. The handovers resulting from errant offloads and frustrating indiscipline began to sap the energy of NURL’s blitzkrieg defence and Northumbria were able to put some concerted pressure on the royal’s try-line . Northumbria talisman Bobby Bahadori made an impressive break down the grandstand flank, and had the line in sights when Paul Wood, who was receiving physiotherapy not 5 seconds before, rose from the turf to demolish the Northumbria stand-off. It was a big bang that Rowan Williams himself couldn’t refute, and Bahadori was left stunned like a turkey in a cull.
The second half began extremely well for Newcastle with “Steam-roller” Ste Moorcroft using his tank of a carcass to cataclysmic effect. His barn-storming run set up the platform for another score after some slick passing down the right side. The crowd momentarily believed Tom Selleck had sprinted the final 20 metres to ground the ball before the announcer assured the frenzied masses that the moustachioed bandit was in fact Davey collecting a brace.
Following a somewhat disputed Northumbria try from a speculative kick, the men in black continued to throw all they had into the iron curtain of NURL’s defence, all to little effect. NURL full back Liam Clarke provided more than a match for Bahadori and Jardine’s tactical kicking, collecting every kick and surging his way up the turf as though running on hot coals, despite the impediment of only possessing three studs in his archaic boot.
The crowd, bolstered by the vociferous presence of several of NURL’s dedicated Old Boys, was baying for more from the bashers in blue, duly provided when Ward danced his was over for a try, scything through the tiring Northumbria like a hot knife through a pork scratching. Paul Wood finished the scoring, adding the finishing touch to a classy Newcastle move, with the ball flowing across the pitch with the irresistible force of the Tyne. NURL firebrand Chris Blain ensured that this was not the end of the action, with the prop hunting for poly teeth with his burly arm rarely lowering from horizontal. This led to some sterling fisty-cuffs thrown in what was an inevitable brew-ha ha. Team Basher Liam Gasior was obviously in his element, while special mention must go to Mikey Bryan for his much warranted attack on Northumbria’s diminutive scrum half.
A Sold-out Thunderdome gives NURL a lengthy standing Applause
As a dejected Northumbria team trudged from the battle ground, Andy Stanton wore a smile as wide as Christmas day, safe in the knowledge that NURL had contributed their part to a stunning Stan Calvert victory over their city rivals.