Saturday 22nd of October saw Newton Aycliffe 1st XV play host to league pretenders Wallsend. Wallsend have recently descended to DN3 from DN2 and as might be expected, have been in the top end of the table all season. The game saw the first use of Aycliffe’s new scoreboard, sponsored by Whitehouse Funeral Service and the home side were led out by another excellent mascot in Felicity Lineton, daughter of first team Captain Alex. The game began with Aycliffe receiving the kick off, which was taken well and Aycliffe’s lines cleared. The chase and pressure to the clearing kick led to a turnover which was put through the hands and saw eightman Andy Littlefair cross for the first points of the game, the try converted by Captain Lineton. The following period saw the ball yoyo from twenty-two to
twenty-two, with Wallsend unable to make any progress, and Aycliffe victims of their own mistakes.
Following a Wallsend infringement at the breakdown, Lineton opted to slow things down and kick for posts, which he duly slotted, taking the lead to ten to nil. It was the visitors, however, who struck next, making the most of an Aycliffe infringement, kicking for touch and setting a solid maul which they broke from to dive over in the corner. Embarrassed by gifting five points to Wallsend, Aycliffe bounced back immediately, storming up field and taking the first opportunity to kick for touch and take the lineout. The throw from hooker Ash Bolsover was received perfectly by and taken into a solid maul which powered toward the Wallsend try line, the defenders stopping the maul just short, forcing second row Ben Carpenter Merritt to break off down the short side, beating a tackler and diving for the line, managing to just roll over and take the home team into a ten point lead once again. The kick was received well by Aycliffe who set the phase through the forwards, allowing outside centre Luke Tinkler to profit from a well worked backs move and cross just before half time. The final act of the half was to be the visitors too, as pressure in the Aycliffe half yielded a penalty which the visitors took, shortening the deficit to twelve. Half time score Newton Aycliffe 1st XV 20 – 8 Wallsend. The second half saw Aycliffe return to the field with an unchanged fifteen, and despite a firm team talk at half time, the first points were the visitors, as they took three points from a five minute spell spent between the halfway and Aycliffe’s twenty-two. The next ten minutes saw neither team making any real progress, with Wallsend struggling to make it out of their half, and Aycliffe struggling to translate possession into points.
This spell was ended following a broken phase of play which saw Aycliffe backs flood up the right wing, with fullback Adam Gascoigne crossing to take the home side to a fourteen point lead. Wallsend continued to frustrate the home side, holding on to possession for an extended period, though the commanding Aycliffe defence held the visitors at bay. This period of Wallsend possession was broken on eighty minuted, as centre Tinkler struck again, perfectly reading a tentwelve pass and picking it at full reach, taking it in, breaking the line, beating the fullback and crossing under the posts to score the final try of the game, which was converted by out half James Cocks. Final score Newton Aycliffe 1st XV 31 – 11 Wallsend. The game finished with a total of five tries run in by Aycliffe with the backs taking three to the forwards’ two. Tries came from Andy Littlefair, Ben Carpenter Merritt. Luke Tinkler (2) and Adam Gascoigne. Two penalties were kicked by Alex Lineton and two of the tries were converted, one by Alex Lineton and one by James Cocks. Aycliffe’s bonus point win saw them return to second in the league table, overtaking Wallsend and only twelve points behind main league rivals Richmond, despite Aycliffe’s having two games in hand.
