Durham & Northumberland Div 3

Seaham 7
Whitby Maroons 16

Whitby travelled to Seaham last Saturday with only 15 men plus Chris Riddolls as late cry offs due to work commitments and none of the second team wanted to play against the whipping boys of last year. The Whitby pack, the lightest all year, as the visitors had winger Chris Smith at flanker with Mark Parkin at number 8.

On a very wet pitch with a good breeze downfield, Captain Joe Quinn won the toss and elected to play against the wind in the first half and it paid off from the kick off. Receiving the kick, Lonsdale set up a maul which Phill Stentiford garry owen put the winger under pressure who dropped the ball and the chasing winger Alex Prudence gathered and scored for his first try of the year.
A little later, after several phases of quick play and good work from the light pack allowed Quinn to touchdown for a well worked try and his first of the season too. Young and Harrison played well all game despite Seaham dirty tactics in the loose. Straker and Pindar in the centres tried their hardest to score more but with a wet ball and some good tackling prevent this game being a cricket score.
Seahams big pack got organised and managed to score out wide after some good defensive tackles from Parkin, Allgood and Lonsdale. The conversion missed but the touch judge put his flag up and the kick was given. The second half was a scrappy affair as every time the visiting team made the hard yards it was thwarted by their infringing pack. With running penalties instead of kicking them, gave a lot of unwanted pressure on the Maroons players. Seaham nearly won the game as their speedy winger rounded Ollie Roberts and sped off down field but an out of the blue moment as Steve Allen’s magnificent text book tackle made the ball spill and flatten his opponent.

Whitby did manage two penalties from the boot of Steve Allen which made the game out of reach. Seahams pack out weighed Whitby’s pack but did not have the fitness or the know-how on how to play. The Maroons are showing signs of a good side as playing badly and winning continues to give Whitby’s youngsters a learning experience and can only bode well for the future. A gritty display by Lonsdale, Harrison, Young and Smith.

Whitby Gazette Man of the Match – Steve Allen – a tackle to save the day.