For the first time in a number of weeks Coach Tony HORSFAL was able to pick a team rather having to be in a position of ‘Hobsons Choice’.
He selected Veteran prop Scott URWIN to help steady the scrum and welcomed back second row Martin WOOD and William GRICE whom both were absent for a number weeks with injuries. The backrow was the strongest of the season with Stewart TRELOAR at 8 accompanied by Rob EARNSHAW and Darren CORNWALL.

In the three quarters Dave WALTON filled in for the absence of Captain Mark SEDDON at fullback but again due to injury veteran Mickey WHARTON was called upon to occupy the scrum half berth.

On a perfect surface on a cold but clear Autumn afternoon the game started with the hosts having the advantage of a slight slope and the high winter sunshine making fielding the ball by the opposition extremely difficult.
From the kick off Winlaton gained yardage into the Rockliffe half and were awarded a penalty which was kicked into the opposition 22 but the resultant lineout was lost and the home side cleared their lines.

This apart from a few sporadic attacks was the last contribution by Winlaton as an attacking force for the whole of the first half. Whilst half the team were putting their bodies on the line to thwart the Rockliffe attacks the rest’s first-up tackling was execrable making it easy for the opposition to build momentum through the phases and the Vulcans mistakes and weak defence invited the hosts to take the lead which they did.

After conceding a series of penalties from the resultant scrum on 6MINS Rockliffe won the ball and moved it quickly wide and the Rockliffe centre took the ball at pace and sliced unscathed through the weak Winlaton defence to score a converted try under the posts (5PTS) + (2PTS)

The game restarted and from the kick off and Rockliffe fielded the ball in their 22 and were allowed to run again through the almost non-existent Winlaton defence and only a forward pass prevented another score. But the pressure was kept on the Vulcans line they managed to prevent another score by holding the ball carrier up when he was over the line. The resultant scum saw another attack by the hosts who on 12MINS crashed over in the corner(5PTS) the conversion attempt striking the posts.

At last on 15MINS Winlaton won some good off the top lineout ball resulting in TRELOAR with a forceful run making some 40 meters up the touchline showing a great example but the move broke down. This was the best spell by the Vulcans with again TRELOAR making another great run supported by EARNSHAW and CORNWALL but when the ball was moved wide the ball management was poor and the move broke down.

This gave Whitley Bay Rockliffe more possession and the opportunity to run the ball back at the Winlaton defence and again on 20MINS the scored another converted try (5PTS) + (2PTS).

ON 30MINS the same combination of EARNSHAW and TRELOAR made another attack but again the move broke down when they were adjudged to have infringed and Rockliffe cleared their lines and responded with another converted try on 35MINS (5PTS) + (2PTS) ending a miserable half from a Winlaton point of view.

HALF TIME 26PTS – 0PTS

The restart saw Winlaton making a great start surprising Rockliffe with a barrage of attacks during the third quarter of the match. From the kick off TRELOAR collected the ball and made a run of some 50 meters breaking tackle after tackle to reach the line but was stopped short before he could ground it but the ball was moved quickly and PYLE, SCOTT and GREY continued the attack but sound defence by Rockliffe prevented a score.

This seemed at last to galvanise the Vulcans and they continued the pressure with WOOD,CORNWALL and LEE prominent in some strong forward drives but again aggressive defence caused the attacks to break down.

When Whitley Bay kicked to clear their lines the ball was being fielded by fullback WALTON who collected the ball and made a number of mazy runs back through the opposition defence allowing the Vulcans again to build another series of attacks and the pressure was rewarded when on 50MINS CORNWALL finished off a great flowing move a score in the corner(5PTS) the touchline conversion being missed.

It was more of the same another strong forward drive involving Chris MORTON and EARNSHAW with CORNWALL again on hand to score another great team try on 55MINS (5PTS) + (2PTS) the conversion being kicked by PYLE,

Unfortunately, on 62MINS when Winlaton were on in possession in their own attempting to attack from their own 22 they failed to clear their lines and the ball was lost and from the resultant scrum Rockliffe drove over to score another converted try (5PTS) + (2PTS) which for a period dented the Vulcans new found confidence and resolve.

The next ten minutes saw the game ebb and flow with neither side being to gain the ascendency but credit to the Vulcans they came again inspired by the runs of WALTON who continued to make a number of long mazy runs through what, now like Winlaton in the first half, a porous and leaking Rockliffe defence.

The pressure was rewarded when WALTON again with another long run gained territory into the home sides 22 who then infringed. A quick tap penalty saw CORNWALL in support collecting possession and crashing over but was adjudged to have been held up.

However the referee was giving an advantage for an infringement and play was brought back for another penalty where we saw on 72MINS Adam HOUSTON doing his classic ‘party piece’ with another superb cross field on the button kick to the waiting winger where we saw GREY and PYLE fighting each other who should touch down with PYLE winning the contest to score a high class well executed try(5PTS) the difficult touchline kick going wide.

With all credit to Winlaton they never gave up and on 78MINS they grabbed a losing bonus point scoring a fourth try through a combination of instinctive individualism and typical guts. From a lineout on the Rockliffe 22 TRELOAR won the ball and broke through and at the breakdown the ball was moved quickly wide through severally hands with CORNWALL again finishing off a well worked ‘Hat Trick’ try (5PTS) + (2PTS).

If only ‘IF’ we had replicated this performance in the first half ??? !!!

FULL TIME 38PTS – 24PTS

MAN OF THE MATCH(Shared) Martin WOOD, Stewart TRELOAR and Darren CORNWALL