Saturday, 31st March 2007, Grayfields
Tech closed out their league programme at Grayfields with an emphatic victory over struggling Yarm. The final score of 17-0 might suggest that this was a close game but in truth this was a remarkably trouble free afternoon for the hosts with Tech dominating from start to finish and never allowing their visitors a sniff of their goal line. But for some careless finishing from Tech the final score would have made grim reading for the visitors on their first trip to this part of Hartlepool with the home team wasting several glorious chances to convert their superiority into points. Indeed, a score of at least double what they finished with would not have flattered the home team.
Tech’s first scoring opportunity came in the opening minutes of the game. Some excellent work by the forwards had seen play rumbled into the Yarm half and when the ball was spun wide, Chris Knight fashioned an overlap for Jon Cole who had appeared in support on the left. Unfortunately the full back’s pass was poor and went behind the oncoming winger to allow Yarm off the hook.
Tech continued to dominate and after Wallis had gone narrowly wide with a sixth minute penalty attempt some more superb work saw the industrious Carl Brown make an excellent break down the right touchline. Bearing down on full back Coates, the wing cleverly chipped ahead forcing the Yarm defender to hurry a clearance to touch and from the attacking lineout the hosts opened their account. Phil Jukes secured good possession and the ball was spun wide to Nick Donnelly who cut inside the opposition to touch down for his fifth try of the season. Wallis converted.
Poor execution continued to haunt the hosts with some disappointing finishing close to the line allowing Yarm to escape punishment. After more great handling allowed Tech to break into the Yarm 22, prop Andy Palmer collected a pass and seemed set to power over the line. Perhaps understandably the prop tried to pass the ball inside hoping for support to finish off the move. Unfortunately the pass went astray and the move petered out. Tech blew another scoring opportunity on 24 minutes after more patient build up. Ian Wilson, who had a superb game at inside centre, made a break into the Yarm 22 and the ball found its way to Phil Wallis who, having drawn his man, only had to pass to Chris Knight for the score. But the fly half’s pass was poor and again Yarm could clear their lines.
Wallis made up for his error with a fine penalty kick on 28 minutes and although Tech should have added to their score before the break more clumsy finishing meant that Yarm turned around only ten points adrift.
Tech’s dominance continued after the break but it wasn’t till the 55th minute that they were able to increase their lead. Richard Foster, who had only just come on as a substitute, making the try possible with some superb skill. Receiving the ball in his own half the winger set off on powerful, mazy run, the type of which has made him a hit with the home support. Some determined Yarm defence dragged Foster to ground inside their 22 but a superb offload found the hands of Ian Wilson who coasted over for the try. Wallis converted.
Yarm enjoyed their first real phase of controlled rugby after this but Tech’s defence stood firm with hard tackling preventing the visitors from opening their account. Frustrated that they were missing out on a chance to boost their points difference some basic mistakes began to creep into Tech’s play and the game became scrappy moving into the final twenty minutes. Wallis pushed a penalty attempt wide on 65 minutes and after this Richard Foster came close to scoring his first try since the win at Whitley Bay Rockcliff. A lovely break from the winger had seen him chip over the Yarm defence, collect and seem set to cross the goal line. But some excellent defence dragged the player down and, unlike his first telling break, there was no one in support to complete the move.
Having endured a torrid start to their life in Durham and Northumberland 2, victory in a fortnight’s time at Houghton will see Tech make a swift return to division 1. With their destiny in their own hands Tech’s supporters will expect nothing less.
Tech 17 (10)
Tries: Donnelly (15), Wilson (55)
Cons: Wallis (16, 56)
Pen: Wallis (28)
Yarm 0
Scoring sequence (Tech listed first);
5-0 (T), 7-0 (C), 10-0 (P) HT 15-0 (T), 17-0 (C)
Tech
Knight, Cole, Donnelly, Wilson, Brown, Wallis, Williamson; Palmer, Hamilton, Dove, Jukes, Thompson, Howard, Smart, Stockdale. Subs: Foster, Barff, Pinchen (all used)
Scrums 9, Attacking scrums 6, Scrums won on own put in 6, Scrums lost on own put in 3, Pens awarded 10, Kicked at goal 3 (2 misses), Kicked for touch 5, Ran 2, Lines won on own throw 15, Lines lost on own throw 5, Free kicks 1
Yarm
Coates, Gibson, Hoar, Lester, McKinley, Rowlands, Scott; Salter, Perriman, Marshall, Houchen, Gilchrist, Flight, Groves, Smithson. Subs: Shaw, Young, Clark (all used)
Scrums 6, Attacking scrums 0, Scrums won on own put in 5, Scrums lost on own put in 1, Pens awarded 10, Kicked at goal 0, Kicked for touch 7, Ran 3, Lines won on own throw 6, Lines lost on own throw 3, Free kicks 1