With no league fixture commitments Saturday saw Aycliffe rest most of their first team players and fielded a second team to take on a young and enthusiastic Westoe 3rd XV in a friendly.
Veteran  and club legend Tommy Cooper featured at full back, back rower Andy littlefair in the centres and were supported by a couple of guest Aycliffe oldboy’s from neighbouring Sedgefield.
The game started at a cracking pace with the early exchanges going the way of aycliffe who were soon 17-0 up after long range breaks from James Thacker and Andy littlefair.
For much of the rest of the first half Aycliffe rested on their laurels and did not compete with numbers at the breakdown this allowed Westoe’s young backs, led by an impressive display by the scrum half to have some possession which they used to score two unconverted try’s.
In the second half, following a half time team talk from Pete Ryans which included the coach asking the Aycliffe team to “Screw the Nail!” it worked!
Aycliffe forwards began to dominate with strong runs from all of the pack and with quick ball the scrum half Mikey Dunn and fly half Gaz Parsonage used the possession well,
Aycliffe backs began to run riot breaking through in midfield at will with wingers Adam Gascoigne and Johnny Griffith finishing well. The score could of been a lot more but the kicking shared by a number of players in the absence of the regular kicker was a mixed bag! An impressive win from a squad pushing for first team places.
Aycliffe travel to Seghill next week, a tricky fixture which Aycliffe will want to win to maintain 3rd place in the league and to continue current form which has seen 10 wins in the last 11 games.
Aycliffe Rugby is supported by S Cars, Whitehouse Funeral Service and thanks also go to match sponsors Smurfit Kappa Ltd.