By BRIAN TILLEY

Last updated at 08:14, Wednesday, 31 October 2012

TYNEDALE crashed to a humiliating third consecutive defeat on Saturday – despite the fact they were only playing against 12 men at one point.

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They were ruthlessly torn apart by second placed Rosslyn Park, comfortably the best side Tynedale have played all season.

To make matters worse, they also lost free-scoring winger Alan Rogers to what could be a season ending knee-injury.

But incredibly, it wasn’t all bad news, for Tynedale did manage to land four kicks at goal – their best return for some time.

Three came from the boot of Irish youth international George Cullen, to at least give a couple of crumbs of comfort.

There was also encouraging performance from Ben Frankland, normally a flanker, who played in the centre and scored a fine try.

But really, it was a case of men against boys, as the Londoners outgunned Tynedale in every department.

They never gave Tynedale an inch, defending ruthlessly when not scoring their nine tries.

A tackle on a player without the ball might have brought a penalty try from another referee, but that would not have altered the result.

At one stage, Tynedale leaked 35 points in 18 minutes, to add to their London blues.

Tynedale have now conceded 27 tries on their last three trips to London, and certainly won't be looking forward to next month's visits to Blackheath and Richmond.

Tynedale have leaked 23 tries in their four away games this season – only Old Albanians have a worse record with 24.

Tynedale were without hooker George McGuigan, who despite not being the world’s most accurate thrower of the ball, is effective round the field.

David Dickinson wore the number two shirt, and Grant Beasley got his first start in the back row in the absence of Sam Reynolds.

Tynedale kicked off on a sunny, windless day, but the storm clouds were soon gathering.

The game was only three minutes old when Park winger, Nev Edwards made a break from the edge of the Tynedale 22 and ran in to score 15 metres in from the left hand touch line.

Park fly half Ross Laidlaw, a thorn in Tynedale’s side on many occasions in the past, converted.

Seven minutes later Park doubled their advantage, when number eight Hugo Ellis barged over just to the left of the posts, and Laidlaw had no trouble making it 14-0.

Tynedale had barely touched the ball at this stage, but on 19 minutes Park gave away a series of penalties and Tynedale gained a bit of momentum.

They opted for a penalty scrum, which was followed by another, from which the ball was spread wide – but a Tynedale centre knocked on.

Tynedale kept pressing though and on 24 minutes, were awarded another penalty, which was advanced ten metres because the defence had not retired far enough.

That brought the posts within comfortable range, just outside the 22 and 18 metres in from touch.

Fly half Matty Outson, still swigging from the poisoned chalice, unfortunately hooked it wide.

Two minutes later, Tyne were awarded another penalty from a more difficult angle and this time, the lion hearted flay half slotted in through the middle to get Tynedale off the mark.

But they had only succeeded in pulling the tiger’s tale, for five minutes later, scrum half Jack Gash nipped through a gap by a ruck to score, and Laidlaw converted.

The bonus point try followed two minutes later, when full back, Ed Lewis-Pratt broke into the Tyne half from his own 10 metre line.

On the edge of the 22, he found winger Charles Broughton, who skated home.

Laidlaw’s conversion made it a painful 28-3 in just about even time.

Tynedale again rallied, and Park started to bend the rules too far for the referee’s liking

On 34 minutes, after a series of penalties, flanker Harry Rowland was penalised for being off-side once too often.

Tynedale were unable to make their extra man count immediately, for they lost the excellent Rogers, who stretched his leg too far when going for the try line, and sustained what looked to be nasty damage.

Medial ligament damage was suspected, although this will not be confirmed until the swelling has gone down.

He was replaced by Cullen, who went to fullback, allowing Peter Moralee to move onto the wing.

With 36 minutes gone, Park got their second yellow card, after a touch judge spotted Jack Gash up to no good.

The Park naughty step became even more crowded moments later when home full back Lewis-Pratt cynically took out Peter Cole when he was chasing a chip from Outson.

He was yellow carded, and some felt a penalty try might have been awarded, but the referee seemed to have decided the crowd would not have stood for a penalty try on top of three yellow cards!

Now three men short, Park could do little to keep Tynedale back, and in the dying seconds, Cullen, who had only been on for five minutes, sliced through to score six metres in from touch.

The conversion was a tricky one, but Cullen put it over without any problem to make it 28-10 at the break.

Within 30 seconds of the restart, Park were looked a simple penalty, on the 22, but remarkably, Laidlaw put it wide.

Six minutes into the half, scrum half Harry Peck went off on a 60 metres burst, before being bundled into touch.

Tynedale held the territory, and a minute later, a break in Park’s 22 led to Ben Frankland steaming over near the posts.

Cullen converted and added a penalty moment later to leave Park looking over their shoulders at 28-20.

Sadly, that was as good as it got for Tynedale, as in the last 18 minutes, Tynedale conceded a staggering 35 points.

Rowland was first to score when he burst down the left wing, Laidlaw converting the difficult kick just two metres in from the touch line – after missing another simply penalty.

On 69 minutes, winger Edwards scored his second try, converted by Laidlaw from the same spot and Park’s lead was up to 20 points.

Five minutes from the end, Tyne unforgivably dropped the ball in their own in-goal area, and Park captain, Darren Ball, will never score an easier try.

Laidlaw converted to make it 49-20 – but the torture was far from over.

Replacement Luke Campbell, danced through some powder-puff tackling for try number eight, and Ellis got number nine, both converted by Laidlaw to make Tynedale’s utter misery complete.

First published at 15:15, Thursday, 25 October 2012
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk