Jarrow have endured a roller coaster of emotions with 2 games in 4 days, losing in the National cup away in Cumbria on the Saturday and crushing local rivals Peterlee at home on Wednesday evening.
There could not have been a bigger contrast in the games away to Kells in the cup was a real bruising encounter with the Cumbrian side able to capitalize on the slightest mistake, to the game against Peterlee where Jarrow took the spoils comfortably.
A long coach journey on Saturday morning saw the Vikings on their travels in the quarter finals of the National Tier 4 Cup to take on top of Cumbrian Division 1 side Kells, who are unbeaten this season just like the Vikings.
Jarrow had a late call off on the Saturday morning so set off with only 16 players, knowing the game was going to be a tough physical encounter for the forwards.
The game started at a cracking pace and was scoreless after the first 15 minutes with the Vikings defending stoutly against a relentless Cumbrian onslaught, but still managing to pressure the home side when they had possession.
But soon the toll of having to defend so much started to tell as Jarrow began to make uncharacteristic errors that allowed the home side possession and field position and they were able to punish every mistake, storming into a 14 point lead in the first 25 minutes.
In typical fashion the Vikings rallied and pressured the home defence forcing a goal line drop out, which the visitors hit back at them, Chris Burnett crashing over on the 3rd tackle the John Coutts conversion gave a little glimmer of hope at 14 – 6 with 30 minutes on the clock.
A series of penalties given away by the tiring Vikings led to Kells scoring another 2 tries before the interval and making the mountain even harder to climb at 26 – 6.
The home side posted the first try of the second period 2 minutes after the break but the Vikings struck back with some good play in the middle of the field resulting in Graham Lupton breaking clear to score.
Once again more Jarrow errors were pounced upon by the home side and they ran in another 2 tries on 64 and 69 minutes to take the wind out of the Vikings sails again.
But another try for Burnett and a conversion from Coutts showed that the visitors were not about to give up.
But 2 tries for Kells in the final 3 minutes of the game sealed the result with the final score Kells 52 – 16 Jarrow.
Despite the score line the Vikings coaching staff were very upbeat and positive, accepting they were beaten by a better side that was able to capitalize on any mistake and showed why they are riding high in Cumbria.
Due to the cup fixture the scheduled fixture against Peterlee Pumas had to be played mid-week at Monkton Stadium.
Despite smarting from the defeat at the weekend and having a few bruised and battered bodies, Jarrow fielded a starting side consisting of players who have not had much game time this season due to injury, work or family commitments.
Peterlee also had a lot of their 2nd team players playing due to unavailability of regular 1st teamers, however this is a game of great rivalry and whoever pulled on the Black and Amber shirt was going to give their all.
It was always going to be a high intensity game with both sides unwilling to give an inch.
Jarrow were out of the blocks fast and scored in the first minute will a well-executed power play on the fifth tackle out wide on the left, which saw Graeme Ross mark his return with a try, Graham Lupton striking a superbe conversion to open his account.
It was the same channel on the left that was exploited by winger Dave Green who finished well, 5 minutes later Ross crossed for his second following a penalty on the right and a passage of play which ended with him isolating the same defender on the left to score.
4 minutes Green was on the score sheet again following a break from David Norman and an off load that put him in over the line, Lupton spot on again with the boot.
Some great interplay between Reece Young and Andy Gray through the middle of the field saw them pass and support each other, resulting in a breathtaking try for Gray.
Ross completed his hat trick in the 20th minute with a break from half way.
Peterlee were suffering and the gallant players who had stepped up for 1st team duty were looking shell shocked and lost as the flow of Black and Amber jerseys was relentless. A penalty against Peterlee gave Jarrow a great platform to attack and winger Chris Butt marked his return with a try out wide on the right wing.
On the half hour mark Lupton linked will in the middle of the field to break and score, the half was rounded by young prop Callum Lee scoring and Lupton adding the conversion, Jarrow 48 – 0 Peterlee.
Lupton struck for his second try of the game a minute after the re-start, as he breezed through some tired defenders from 20 meteres out, converting his own try.
Lee hit a great short line from a ball off Burnett to crash through and score his second try of the game, shortly after winger Ian Arkley crossed to score and Lupton again added the extras.
Peterlee refused to give up and prop Paul Malcolm got them on the score board with 50 minutes on the clock, Leigh Wheatley added the conversion.
2 minutes later Mark Walker crashed through the line but was halted short, hooker Burnett was alert and crashed over the line from short range. Reece Young was able to snipe over from short range extending the Viking lead further.
A great break and sublime off load by loose forward Anthony Vietch, saw Walker collect the ball 15 metres out and crash through the defenders to score on the hour mark, Lee completed his hat trick 2 minutes later.
Peterlee once again rallied and posted a try in the 70th minute when Chris Nicholson forced his way over the line.
A short kick off by Lupton from the re-start saw Vietch re-gather the ball take on the defence before passing to Conor Young who in turn got the ball to Lupton to complete his hat trick of tries.
Paul Dodsworth registered the last of the Jarrow tries in the 76th minute and the boot of Lupton took the Jarrow tall over the 100 point mark for the first time in their history, taking his personal tally of points for the game to 42, another club record.
Peterlee had the final word with the last play of the game when Wheatley, who had been a threat all game, snuck over to score then convert the try, leaving the score Jarrow 102 – 16 Peterlee.
The result sees the Vikings Crowned Premier League Champions for the second year running with 1 game still to play and the Regional Premier Final against Gateshead Storm on the 11th August at Monkton Stadium.