TWICKENHAM BOUND

NORTH TWICKENHAM BOUND,

Northallerton first team travelled to play Rugby Lions in the semi final of the National Junior Vase Cup and emerged worthy 17-27 victors.
Lions who had not been beaten at home in over two seasons and have outclassed all their recent opponents by quite convincing scores, found the Northern outfit quite more of a handful than they had been used to. Northallerton had two definite starters injured, plus three or four more squad players also out, but still ground out a very impressive win.
The early exchanges were an even encounter with both teams testing each other out. Then, after ten minutes Jeremy Deas broke through two tacklers before off loading to James Hopkins who raced away and brushed aside the Lions full back to score a unconverted try in the corner. Five minutes later North increase their lead when captain Joe Terry expertly reads a opposition miss move to intercept the ball in his own half and out pace any cover to score under the posts. Alec Porter Jnr with the conversion gives North a twelve point lead. North then suffered a devastating injury to Fraser Deas but were fortunate enough to be able to call up Doug Mulholland from the bench. Before North could reorganise their defence, a charged down clearance kick was gathered up by Lions to score a converted try. Just before the break Mulholland punted a long ball down field for a Lions line out in their own 22. Iain Swall stole the line out ball before eventually feeding his brother Phil Swall to score from the base of a ruck and give a ten point advantage at the break.
At half time North replaced four players with some fresh legs to keep the pressure on the hosts. After fifteen minutes of the half though, it was Lions who scored first when their number eight broke from the base of a rolling maul to score a converted try. Ten minutes later Lions draw level with a penalty which is awarded for tackling the jumper without the ball at a line out. With the scores tied and fifteen minutes left, coach Alec Porter Snr again rotated his squad, bringing on the rested players from half time. This, combined with Norths superior fitness started to wear the opposition down therefore creating a few more spaces and forcing the home team into errors. Ten minutes from time Hopkins intercepts a loose pass from a Lions prop to run half the length of the pitch before unselfishly drawing in the last man and passing to Porter Jnr, who scores and converts from in front of the posts. Four minutes from time Porter Jnr scored a long range penalty to seal the victory and send Northallerton to their first ever Twickenham appearance.
Man of the match was justifiably awarded to Hopkin who just edged out Iain Swall.
North now play Battersea Ironsides in the final on Sunday May 3rd, 11am kick off. Club vice-captain Lee Peake is away in the West Indies watching cricket but will fly back a few days early to play, and even former captain Mulholland will forfeit playing cricket for a day at Twickenham.
Northallerton's squad consisted of - Dixon, Deas J, Swall P, Peake, Barnard, Greene, Park, Swall I, Hebblethwaite, Porter, Hopkins, Wagstaff, Terry, McEneany, Deas F.
Plus replacements Baker James, Baker Jonny, Coyne, Sankey, Mulholland, McLeod and Luck. Also present was hydration technician Dave Baker.
And let's not forget Debs Morgan the physio, without whose help our injury list would be even longer.
Norths unlucky injury list consisted of Nic Bainbridge, Jonny Frank, Adam Massey, Oliver Watts, Jack Radcliffe, Martin Dennison, Sandy Gray and Ben Merrit.