Newcastle entertained Yardley and District one of the newly promoted clubs to this division. Having thought that last weeks opponents had a massive pack Yardley were even bigger! Newcastle started sluggishly and it was Yardley who got first points on the board, a penalty for not rolling away in the tackle. Newcastle could not get their hands on the ball and the frustration showed when another penalty was conceded for offside which the Yardley fly half slotted over. Crucially the Yardley fly half had two more shots at goal, but missed both penalties. Newcastle’s first attack of note saw them break from their own 22 but saw the Yardley defence preventing the release of the ball. Newcastle refused the chance of points and kicked the penalty into the corner. From the resulting line out a clean catch from Wayne Scott saw the forwards drive him over the line with Chris Fowler touching the ball down, Ash Martin just missed the conversion. Newcastle were gaining parity and at a Yardley scrum on their 10 meter line forced the scrum back with the scrum half having his clearance kick charged down by flanker Wayne Scott the Newcastle backs reacted quickest and the ball was picked up by Pat O’Neil, he fed Ash Martin on the loop who released winger Sam Evans with a long pass, Evans broke through two tackles and scored a try on his debut for the firsts. Ash Martin scored the conversion. Yardley finished the half with two penalty attempts scoring with only the first of them and missing with the last kick of the half to tie the scores.
Half Time Newcastle 12 Yardley 9
Newcastle started the 2nd half brightly and from a rolling maul winger Kev Edwards burst through the middle of it to score under the posts. Martin managed to drag the conversion wide. Yardley then had there best spell in the game having the Newcastle defence on the back foot with bullocking runs from the Yardley forwards. After missing from one kick at goal, Yardley opted for line-outs but resolute Newcastle defending kept them at bay for 15 minutes. Newcastle finally had chance to clear the lines and from the line-out Necastles backs chased a long kick putting the Yardley full back under pressure. He conceded the penalty 5 meters from his own line for not releasing the ball in the tackle. Newcastle opted from the scrum and scrum half Dan Jones picked up at the base of the scrum, dummied the pass and strolled around the Yardley fly half to score the bonus point try, Martin missed the conversion. Martin then had chance to redeem himself and got three points from the next penalty. Virtually from the restart the Newcastle backs spread the ball wide and with full back and wing combining well saw Kev Edwards break through the tackle of the Yardley winger and then out pace the full back to score under the posts, which Martin converted. Yardley finished in the Newcastle corner and from a penalty 5 meters out the Yardley prop Matt Griffiths charged to the line and just managed to drive over the line, the fly half scored the conversion with the last kick of the game.
Full time Newcastle 32 Yardley and District 16
Newcastle Fowler, Williams, Tait, Woodyatt, Oliver, Dodkins, Scott, Miller (C); Jones, Martin, Edwards, O’Neil, Twigg, Evans, Westwood, Reps. Kershaw, Blunt, Sale.
Tries Fowler Evans Edwards 2 Jones
Cons Martin 2
Pens Martin