Back to it!

Northallerton RUFC began their preparations for the coming season in Yorkshire 3 league with a pre-season warm up fixture at home against Horden and Peterlee RUFC who play in the neighbouring Durham and Northumberland league.

With the barbeque in full swing and beer flowing before the match, all spectators were revelling in a return to Saturday rugby action, making the most of a rare sunny spell of weather. Horden and Peterlee travelled in good numbers, bringing a bus full of players and many more spectators to help fill the touchlines of the pitch. Both teams fielded mixed squads, allowing for plenty of rotation and chances to run off the summer rustiness. The game was to be played in twenty-minute quarters to help ease everyone back into the run of the game.
Horden started very brightly, looking well organised with their large number of younger players providing a high tempo and managed to drive play deep into Northallerton territory where after repeated phases of forward carries they were held up over the try line. This gave North the spark they needed to push the game back up the hill and into the visitors’ camp. A good break down the wing from Josh Barrett was halted five metres out from the try line with an excellent covering tackle into touch. The constantly changing wind direction was causing a few upsets for both teams at lineout time. Prop forward Jonny Baker showed all his experience to snaffle a loose throw, pirouette and dive over the try line to open Northallerton’s and his account for the new season.
Not to be denied for long, Horden attacked off the restart and started to move the ball around more freely. Backs and forwards linked up well to show the type of game they’ve worked on in training. This resulted in finding space down the blindside where youth and speed managed to get over the try line to level the game at five points apiece. At the half time mark, both teams had shown plenty of ambition and physicality, the collisions involved were impressive for a first run out.
In the second half of the game, much of the same play followed. A brief rain shower added to the difficulties in throwing the ball around yet that didn’t dampen the spirits of the players or spectators who were in full voice supporting their team. Northallerton were unlucky to have a try disallowed in the second half. Centre Ollie Walters dodged his way through the defence and dived over the try line, however the grounding wasn’t seen and play carried on. In this quarter the only other score came from Horden with another wide break allowing their quicker players space to run down the wing and get over for a match winning score. The final quarter of the game saw a lot of fractious play take place in the middle of the pitch, stamina and energy levels running low by this point. The game finished with a final score of Northallerton 5 – Horden and Peterlee 10.
A big thank you to all the Horden and Peterlee players and spectators for travelling to the Lodge for an entertaining fixture. Many thanks as well to the referee for officiating the match, the volunteers at Northallerton rugby club, bar staff and all who contributed to making the day happen.
Pre-season training continues for the rest of the month at 7pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. The ladies’ team train on Wednesdays 7pm. Any new or returning players are encouraged to come along, any age or experience welcome.