Our first home fixture of the new year saw our old friends from Westoe arrive at Parc du Acklam. Just as kick off was taken the rain cleared away giving us a fine day to enjoy the match.
Play got under way with Middlesbrough playing down the slope and they got the first score after a good driving maul set the backs away and put returning wing Rhys Killbride over in the corner 5-0
Great defence from Boro earns them the put in to a scrum the ball is given to the backs and it ends up in winger Sean Moloney’s hands and he runs over the full back to score from fully 60m out. Fly half Andrew Baggett adds the conversion 12-0
An infringement at the breakdown by Boro scrum half Jake Chalklen earns him a yellow card and during the time he is off the park our visitors score after a series of pick and goes. con missed 12-5
Jake returns to the fray and not long after hooker Joe Sawdon sees yellow after a late tackle.
Next, after a strong scrum and ruck Boro No.8 Adam Marron crashes over for a try, Baggett adds the extras 19-5
Some great hands send scrum half Chalklen over for the next home try 24-5
Westoe then somewhat confusingly, to those watching, win a penalty and kick for the posts it goes over making the score 24-8
Boro are back on the offensive and after a series of rucks near the line Utility Forward, playing prop today, Myles Colvin crosses to score 29-8
Substitute fly half Nathan Booth enters the arena and subsequently delivers a defence splitting pass to marauding James Walker, who draws the full back and passes to his second-row partner Finlay Magowan who Feeds blind side flanker Ali Lang to stride over the whitewash to score 34-8
On their next attack Boro give the ball to wing Kilbride who beats three or four defenders then passes to Jake Chalklen to run in for his brace. Booth adds the extras 41-8
The final score of the match sees ever reliable Boro centre Jack Macphillips pirouette out of a tackle to score Full Time Middlesbrough RUFC 46 South Shields Westoe 8
Player of the match was awarded to New Zealand import scrum half Jake ‘Chalky’ Chalklen for his tries and all-round contribution to the win.
Next week we travel up to league leaders Morpeth for what I am sure will be a humdinger of a match
Jabba
