Last updated at 12:07, Friday, 19 February 2010

The sigh of relief could be heard all the way from Surrey to Corbridge on Saturday.

Title
Author
Copyright

Description

Esher 34, Tynedale 22

Runaway league leaders Esher were not relishing the visit of Tynedale to their Moseley Road stronghold – and with good cause.

For once again, Tom Borthwick’s braves took their full time professional opponents right to the wire before conceding defeat.

Prior to Saturday, Esher had only conceded only 11 tries in their eight home games, with no away team scoring more than two tries.

Tynedale ran in four fine tries, to follow up the five they had scored in the reverse fixture in October.

Although both fixtures were lost, the Tynedale faithful could be well pleased with their showing.

They scored bonus points in both games, and earned the unstinted admiration of the Esher fans, who said Tynedale were easily the best side they had played all season, as they had played rugby, rather than trying to spoil.

Tynedale learned to their cost they cannot get away with mistakes at this level, all their first half slip-ups being ruthlessly punished.

Chairman of rugby John Shotton said; “This shows how far this Tynedale side has progressed in the last 12 months, being more than able to compete with fully professional outfits.”

Tynedale could have run their illustrious opponents even closer, for in the second half, they had them on the ropes for long spells.

Then flanker Grant Beasley went down with what appeared to be a serious neck injury.

The game was held up for more than six minutes, while an ambulance was summoned, and he was whisked away to hospital.

Thankfully, an X-ray confirmed the injury was not as serious as was feared, with soft tissue damage only, but Tynedale had lost their momentum.

On a bitter grey February afternoon, there were some raised eyebrows at Tynedale’s decision to start such an important match with influential captain and hooker Joe Graham, on the bench.

The versatile Matthew Fieldhouse donned the number two shirt, and managed to get on the scoresheet.

There was also a start for number eight Greg Irvin, after a long spell out with a hernia problem.

Dominic Shaw returned at scrum half, Charlie Ingall was back on the wing, and the formidable Douglas Jupp returned to the front row.

The game was lost in the first half, when Tynedale committed too many mistakes.

They conceded eight knock ons, and Esher needed no encouragement to take advantage.

Esher also kicked superbly, whether to touch or to gain field position, and their following up was exemplary.

It was from a Tynedale knock on that Esher opened the scoring on three minutes.

From a solid scrum on the Tynedale 22 Esher’s Garrick Cowley passed the ball out to his backs, and with lovely quick hands they moved the ball to the right.

A ruck was formed 15 metres out, Esher recycled the ball and from a short pass inside, lock Rod Turner burst through a couple of tackles to score just to the left of the posts. Sam Ulph converted.

Esher should have added to their score on six minutes, when Ross Chisholm broke from midfield, and found Johnny Hutton,who then dabbed a neat kick through which Tynedale failed to deal with.

Luckily for them, it was Esher’s turn to knock on.On 11 minutes, Hamish Smales made a good break from his own 10 metre line to the Esher 22.

The forwards took the ball on, but again, there was a knock on.

Tynedale suffered a body blow on 21 minutes when Jupp was given a yellow card for collapsing a maul following a five metre line out.

Esher opted for the penalty scrum, and predictably, seven against eight was no contest, and they rumbled their way over the line.

Shawn Renwick muscled his way through the bodies to touch down, and Ulph made it 14-0.

Tynedale tried to response with a fine break by Grant Beasley, which was taken on by Jack Harrison.

The England Counties centre found winger Peter Cole, who raced in to score, but the touch judge ruled the final pass had gone forward.

Ulph extended Esher’s lead with a 40 metre penalty, before Tynedale got on the scoresheet.

Matthew Fieldhouse pulled off a near interception in his own 22, and made a lung-bursting 80 metre sprint to the far end of the field, to touch down in the corner.

Gavin Beasley missed the conversion, but Tynedale were back in it at 17-5 on 37 minutes.

On 39 minutes, Tynedale conceded a penalty at the ruck, and witnessed the rarity of a missed kick from the normally laser like Ulph.

Tynedale’s concentration lapsed on 42 minutes though, when a pass between the half backs in their own 22 was intercepted by the alert Seb Jewell, who darted in to score.

Ulph converted and Tynedale were 24-5 down at the interval.

Tynedale were again caught in the blocks at the start of the second half, when Esher mounted a strong attack.

Scrum half Garrick Cowley noticed a gap and broke through to score underneath the sticks, with Ulph slotting. the conversion.

Esher had the bonus point, and a rout was looking possible at 31-5.

However, Tynedale showed their mettle, piling into the rucks, and throwing the ball out wide at every opportunity.

Both locks, Andrew Murray and Ben Marshall made powerful surges for the line, before with 15 minutes gone in the second half, the ball was played wide, and full back James Hoyle dotted the ball down 15 yards inside of the right touchline.

Beasley converted to bring the score back to 31-12 in Esher’s favour,

Esher fought back, but excellent Tynedale defence kept them at bay until a penalty was conceded, gratefully gobbled up by Ulph.

Tynedale surged back onto the attack. showing the sort of fitness even full time professional find it hard to match. Esher started to concede penalties to keep them out, before the referee lost patience, and sent Rob Anderson to the sin bin.

Tynedale took advantage of their extra man, putting Esher under a lot of pressure at set pieces.

On 34 minutes, they were awarded a line out, and Andrew Murray was driven over for Tynedale’s third try.

Beasley missed the conversion, but Tynedale had the momentum, even though they were trailing 34-17 Tynedale.

Esher were starting to look a little jaded and disjointed, and Tynedale had the satisfaction of propelling them five yards in the wrong direction from a scrum.

Jamie Murray picked up in the back row to score and clinch a bonus point for Tynedale.

Andy Hall, on for Beasley, added the extras to make it 34-24.

Then came the injury to Beasley and even 12 minutes of injury time could produce no further scoring,

First published at 09:46, Friday, 19 February 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk