YOUNG ROBBO AGAIN

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Northallerton 1st team resumed action at home against Thornensians, and staged a remarkable comeback to earn a 24-24 draw.

North started very slowly, maybe with too much turkey and Christmas pudding inside them, and within 15 minutes found themselves 21-0 down and struggling. Slowly though, North began to compose themselves and urged on by a boisterous, near MAXimum (Willoughby) crowd, began to gain more possession and settle down. As per usual the front row combo of The 3 Fat Ladies - Bainbridge, Baker and Dixon, were as powerful as ever, which the visiting forwards could not handle. Returning scrum half Nathan Cannel, who'd been away topping up his tan, was also linking well with young No. 8 Steven Robinson to cause the visitors numerous problems, particularly off the back of their dominant scrums. It was Robinson and Cannel who scored a try apiece before half time to bring North back into the game. Brian Tucker with one of the conversions to send the teams in at half time 21-12

North started the second half full of gusto, with Richard Lonsdale proving to be a handful in the open and fly half Tucker organising his backs defence to thwart any Thorne attacks. Again it was youngster Robinson leading the attacks, and scored his second try of the game, after good work from both Don McStone and Liam Lincoln, who between them, created the opening for Robinson to squeeze himself and the ball over the line. The conversion however fell well short in swirling difficult windy conditions. With North now only four points behind, they threw everything into attack which sometimes left themselves open for a counter-attack. However North’s backs, consisting of Chaz Turner, Gypo Waldon and Jinky Harker snuffed out all opportunities and cleared the ball very efficiently whenever there was any sign of danger. Ten minutes from the end, dynamic substitute Dougie Mulholland made a superb break from the half way line by dummying his opposite number, before off loading to his supporting forwards who drove on for 20 yards before Robinson went over the line to complete his hat trick and put North in the lead. This was Robinson’s eighth try of the season and now makes him North’s leading try scorer, which is remarkable considering his tender age and inexperience. Tucker marvellously added the conversion to put North 3 points in front. Thorne with less than ten minutes to go looked thoroughly demoralised after having let slip such a large early lead. Then 5 minutes from time North were caught off guard by a speculative kick through and in the scramble to clear the danger conceded a penalty which the visiting fly half had no bother converting to tie the scores. North then spent the last five minutes of the game camped on the visitors 5 metre line but could not get the score or drop goal opportunity they required, and can count themselves unlucky not to get at least one kickable penalty and maybe even a Thorne player sin-binned for what could have been seen in some peoples eyes as consistent offences.

Final score 24-24.

Next week North 1st team are away at Rotherham Phoenix