Redcar Find Hot Ash Too Hard To Handle

Redcar kicked off against the gale-force wind, but Ash were first to respond with a try after only 5 mins, 0 - 5. On 15 mins fullback Lee Collins levelled the score, 5 - 5. From the restart Redcar failed to take the ball and Ash regained it and drove forward towards the Redcar line and eventually scored in the corner and it was converted with a great kick considering the wind, 5 - 12. After 20 mins Ash No.6 got a yellow card for deliberately diving on a loose Redcar ball. Two mins later Redcar ran the ball and got into the Ash 22 and from a lineout and the forwards drove Ash back and flanker Brad Smith scored, 10 - 12. Redcar struggled to get out of their own half and it spurred Ash on, as they scored 3 more tries on 28, 30 and 32 mins, all converted to take the score to 10 - 33. Just as half time approached Redcar prop Matty Regan scored near the posts and Richie Young converted.

Half Time Redcar 17 Ashington 33

Ash restarted the game and Redcar now had the wind (although it had subsided a bit), the game became a bit chewy and a big scuffle broke out close to the Ash try line, from the resulting melee both hookers were shown the yellow card as the ref tried to calm things down. When play resumed Redcar winger Luke Watson scored under the posts and Richie Young converted with a drop kick, 24 - 33. On 20 mins Ash scored and again it was converted, 24 - 40. Redcar continued to attack on every opportunity, they got over the try line but the ball was knocked on in the act of scoring and then on 30 mins when the ball was kicked through by Richie Young, Lee Collins beat the defending Ash players to dive on the ball just before it crossed the dead ball line and score, once again Richie Young converted with a drop kick, 31 - 40. Redcar were running out of time and Redcar won a penalty in front of the post and opted to take the kick to give them a second bonus point, by bring them within 6 points of Ash. This proved to be the right decision as the game petered out.

Final Score Redcar 34 Ashington 40

Redcar put on a brave performance, against a better team on the day and it was valuable experience for their young side.