Saturday, 18th November 2006, Axwell View

The general view at Grayfields after Tech’s hard-earned victory at Ashington earlier this season was that they had now learnt how to win on the road at tricky locations. However, judging by yesterday’s inept defeat on Tyneside, it would seem that a remedy for Tech’s away day blues is still to be found.

Although Tech went into this game on the back of a 5 game unbeaten stretch there had been enough area for concern in amongst that sequence to lead one to question whether they could keep the run going. And, after 80 minutes at Axwell View, the question was answered with a firm no. The recognised problems of a hit and miss lineout, poor turn over rate at the breakdown and lack of a calm head at key moments were once again there for all to see and contributed in no small part to the visitor’s demise yesterday.

Given this, defeat yesterday should not have come as a complete surprise. Furthermore the Vulcans have, historically, proven to be a real handful on their home ground. Where Tech were often ponderous around the rucks, the home 8 had no such ill conviction. Happy to structure their game around their powerful pack and make steady progress up the field, the home team played to their strengths and few would deny that they were worthy winners.

After throwing away a 9-0 lead with only 10 minutes to go in their game against WBR last week, this win moves them up to 10 league points. With WBR losing at home to Novocastrians allowing Novos to move up to third, a point ahead of Tech, this league is shaping up to be one of the more interesting in the north east.

Sadly the word interesting could not be applied to much of Saturday’s game. The opening exchanges were punctuated with mistakes and with referee Paul Mackings happy to call play to a halt with some fussy officiating, the game never settled into a comfortable rhythm.

Ian Wilson gave the visitors the lead on 10 minutes with a wonderful penalty from the half way line after the hosts had infringed at a scrum. Winlaton re-gathered and home centre Albassam nearly went over in the corner after a quickly taken penalty but an excellent covering tackle from Foster thwarted the Winlaton player. The home team were not to be denied on 15 minutes, however, when Tech were judged to have pulled an attacking maul to the ground. Fly half Kevin Allison slotted the resultant penalty for 3 all.

Allison and Wilson missed penalties on 33 and 35 minutes respectively before Tech mounted their best attack of the half. A quickly taken penalty saw play advance down the left wing onto the home 5m line. But a lack of support at the breakdown from the visitors saw them penalised allowing Winlaton to clear. Subsequent dissent from Tech captain Stockdale also saw the number 8 take a trip to the sin bin.

Playing down the bank and with the wind in their favour, Winlaton always looked the more threatening team in the second half. Using their potent rolling maul, they came close on several occasions to breaching the Tech goal line. Good defence and a lack of discipline keeping the home team at bay. Tech were not without their moments, though. The back line always looked as if they had the edge on their hosts but the lack of control at both the ruck and the lineout was nullifying the threat.

The game seemed to be heading inexorably towards a draw but on 69 minutes a Winlaton infringement at a ruck, 30 metres out, allowed Wilson to put his team back in front at 6-3.

But when all that was required at the restart from Tech was a calm head, the visitors imploded. Having failed to gather the kick off and clear the danger, Winlaton secured possession and drove up to the Tech line. An initial hold up over the goal line saw the home team awarded an attacking scrum and after a couple of attempted drives were repelled, scrum half Clarkson darted over for the score. Allison converted for 10-6.

There was still time for Tech to try and emulate their late game heroics from the previous week. After Winlaton had knocked on at the restart, Ian Wilson made a superb break to the home line but desperate defence saw him dragged into touch. Further valiant raids were to follow but unfortunately for Tech they amounted to nothing.

Winlaton Vulcans 10 (3)

Try: Clarkson (72)

Con: K Allison (72)

Pen: K Allison (15)

Tech 6 (3)

Pens: Wilson (10, 69)

Scoring sequence (Winlaton Vulcans listed first):

0-3 (P), 3-3 (P) HT 3-6 (P), 8-6 (T), 10-6 (C)

Winlaton Vulcans

Reddihough, Johnston, Morthersdale, Albassam, Fleming, K Allison, Clarkson; Urwin (c), G Allison, Cash, A Page, Wealleans, Hunter, Hope, G Page. Subs: Moore, Macleod, Robinson (all used)

Scrums 11, Attacking scrums 2, Scrums won on own put in 11, Scrums lost on own put in 0, Pens awarded 12, Kicked at goal 2 (1 miss), Kicked for touch 8, Ran 2, Free kicks 2, Lines won on own throw 12, Lines lost on own throw 6

Tech

Cole, Bulmer, Foster, Donnelly, Brown, Wilson, Williamson; Palmer, Hamilton, Dove, Wray, Howard, Smart, Best, Stockdale (c). Sub used: Cheshire

Sin Bin: Stockdale (40)

Scrums 13, Attacking scrums 0, Scrums won on own put in 13, Scrums lost on own put in 0, Pens awarded 15, Kicked at goal 3 (1 miss), Kicked for touch 6, Ran 6, Free kicks 0, Lines won on own throw 10, Lines lost on own throw 6

Referee: Paul Mackings (Durham)