In all honesty, this game, and indeed the result probably do not matter much in the grand scheme of Tech’s plans this season. Tech are not competing for league and promotion honours in this division, far from it. The sole objective this season is to stay in this league, and in order to keep this objective a realistic one, Tech must successfully negotiate a run of four key games against teams that also inhabit the lower region of D&N1. Wins against promotion chasing teams are nice, but not something that are necessary for Tech to accomplish their main mission for this campaign. It is far more crucial that points against other relegation threatened clubs are accumulated, and next Saturday will see Tech entertain Ponteland at home in the first game of this little series that also includes games against Acklam and Ashington. Quite simply, it is a must win encounter.
It is a game that Tech will be able to go into with a reasonable level of confidence, not what you might expect after a 31-0 defeat, but despite this lopsided score line, and indeed several other defeats this season, there has been one constant positive to take from games for Tech. This positive is the continual perseverance and hard work of the pack. Yesterday, Tech’s forwards were outstanding. The scrum was solid, play at the breakdown sound, the lineout ran smoothly and the rolling maul had Northern well and truly stumped.
If only rugby was an eight man game. Sadly for Tech it isn’t, backs must also play their part and it is in this area of the game that Tech do have a genuine reason for concern. Quite simply, the backs do not look like scoring. It is brilliant having a pack that can win you possession and generate good field position, but if there is no firepower behind the pack then options are cut dramatically. Key players in the backs have been missing but even so, Tech have still failed to look menacing in the backs this season. Improvements must be made in this area as time after time, scoring opportunities are being wasted.
No such problems for Northern, who ran the ball with much more conviction and more crucially took every opportunity that came their way. First to score was outside centre Phil James who made a fine break after just two minutes to score under the posts. The conversion from Bindman made it 7-0. Shortly afterwards a brief bust up resulted in Stephen Smart and Northerns’ Chris Irving being sent to the sin bin and following this Northern again demonstrated how to attack with the backs as another fine move eventually saw flanker Pearson go over. Bindman again converted. This scoring combination was put into practise again after 33 minutes when Pearson took a quick tap penalty and strolled over unopposed with Bindman improving the score. 21-0 up and Northern were cruising and they essentially sealed the game 3 minutes later when fly half Cordwell intercepted a pass and sent flying winger Rob Thompson over. This time Bindman was unable to add the extras.
Determined to avoid another shutout, Tech started the second half brightly and for 15 minutes, kept the hosts pinned in their own 22 but poor tactics cost Tech a score. Northern had no answer to the Hartlepool clubs’ rolling maul and repeatedly pulled it down. It seemed a penalty try was on the cards, especially when referee Alistair Jones sin binned prop Neil Wesley for persistent infringement, but from one of the numerous penalties, Tech strangely decided to run it rather than opt for another line and maul. Northern defended this well and were then able to clear. Irksomely for Tech, the hosts then added another try of their own on 58 minutes when after some patient build up play, scrum half and captain David Kay wriggled his way over for what would prove to be the final scoring act of the game.
Northern 31
Tries: James (2), Pearson (7, 33), R Thompson (36), D Kay (58)
Cons: Bindman (2, 7, 33)
Tech 0
Northern
S Kay, R Thompson, James, Bindman, Dovey, Cordwell, D Kay (c), Wesley, Moore, Neill, Irving, Harrison (Young), Douglas, Pearson, Turnbull (Cameron)
Scrums 7, Attacking scrums 2, Scrums won on own put in 5, Scrums lost on own out in 2, Pens awarded 10, Kicked at goal 0, Kicked for touch 4, Ran 6, Lineouts won on own throw 8, Lineouts lost on own throw 4
Sin bin: Irving (4), Wesley (48)
Tech
Cole, Knight, Richardson, Corrigan, Brown, Parker, Williamson, Palmer, Dixon, Thompson, Campbell, Jukes, Smart (Howard), Jones (c), Stockdale (Vincent)
Scrums 10, Attacking scrums 2, Scrums won on own put in 8, Scrums lost on own put in 2, Pens awarded 15, Kicked at goal 1 (1 miss), Kicked for touch 10, Ran 4, Lineouts won on own throw 13, Lineouts lost on own throw 2
Sin bin: Smart (4), Dixon (38)
Referee: A Jones (Cumbria)