On arrival the first questions were when does autumn start and are there any flat pitches in Shields?. As per the previous week it was like a balmy summer day and there was a slope that ran the length of the pitch.

Due to the warm weather and the pitch being surrounded by trees much time was spent fending attacks by greenfly and midges

The players for the club are drawn from the college students and the local area. The college is a marine college which means that when student players go off to work they are away at sea for up to six months. This causes quite some problems with keeping a regular fist team line up.

Despite the problem of students going off to sea the club is growing in strength of numbers of players, and this season they are turning out three teams every week.

This week first and third teams were at home, with the first playing at the college and the seconds playing at a ground called Brinkburn, which is the same ground name as my club West.

The match was a close contest.

South Shields dominated possession despite playing up the slope but could not turn this into a score. On one of their rare visit in to Shields territory Bishop Auckland scored a converted try to lead 0 - 7 at half time.

Posession in the second half was more even with both sides playing good attacking rugby.

Shields narrowed the score with penalty kick and the two sides exchanged tries throughout the   half with Shields scoring last to come up just short. Final 15 – 19.

As South Shields do not have club house it was off to a local pub for post-match food drink and banter. Thoroughly enjoyable.