3rd place finish secured, Baby!!!

Stockton 36 Middlesbrough 52
As we travelled to our nearest and dearest rivals Stockton RUFC for our penultimate match of the league season I hear some supporters complaining about the wind and the cold, my reaction to them is we’re in North-East England in March not the Costa del Sol in July, Some people lol.
Right down to business cos we were treated to a rip roaring festival of rugby despite the windy conditions, no quarter was asked or given, every tackle was a belter and breaks were made at PACE.
First score of the game comes from Boro who’s pack use one of their most effective moves of the season, the driving maul, everybody working in unison, pushing the ball over the line to score. All was working perfectly and the ball was touched down, here we go. But alas, NO, apparently tries don’t count if the ball is placed over the 5 YARD LINE SILLY FORWARDS!! I know who it was and will accept money for not naming and shaming lol
Boro are dominating the early possession and are moving the ball well until a loose pass is intercepted by the Stockton wing who runs in from 40m. The con is good 7-0
The visitors strike back when a double change of direction sees the ball into flyer Brendan Hill’s hands and he takes it over the line out wide a difficult conversion just falls short 7-5
The home team hit back with a converted try after successive penalties move them into range to dart over under the sticks 14-5
On 34 minutes the ball is kicked deep into the Boro 22and is returned with gusto by the fleet of foot full back Matthew Marsay who joins this move three times linking with Jack Mcphillips, Harry Bryce and Marsay receives the ball and sends Sean Joseph Moloney, you ain’t catching him, to score . Con missed 14-5
On the stroke of half time Stockton use the following wind kicking a 50-metre penalty making the half time score 17-10.
Straight from the kick off Boro are on the attack and their pressure forces Stockton to give away a penalty, Boro opt for the scrum on the 5-metre. The Boro pack drive their opposition towards the line, Stockton try to stop the momentum and with a penalty looming, scrum half Mc Chris McRobert feeds the backs Shay Barritt onto Jack Mac who puts Hill over to score, Hill converts his own try and we’re level 17 all
Straight from the ensuing ko Boro are on the attack and after a quick tap penalty Hill returns the favour and puts Jack Mac through for a try, con good 17-24
5 minutes pass and Boro are on the attack and the pack drive a scrum over the line allowing number 8 Alistair Lang to touch down, another good conversion adds the extras 17-31
Jack Mac takes the ball on from the kick off breaking tackle after tackle and giving the ball to Lightning Legs Rhys Kilbride “Ain’t no stopping him now” from 20m out, a great co sees the lead moved on to 17-38
Four minutes later I am lost for words as Boro move the ball from side to side in a move that involves the forwards and backs inter passing in unison for Alistair Lang to complete his brace Hill converts 17-45
As always in this league It ain’t over till its over and Stockton hit back with 2 converted tries of their own 31-45
Boro Full back Matthew Marsay speeds over the line to score our final try of the afternoon the con is good 31-52
Former Middlesbrough player Te-Kori Moore son of Simon and grandson of John, clears a ruck out with the biggest hit of the afternoon, gets himself up, dusts himself down and gets on the end of the move to score the final points of the game
FT Stockton 36 Middlesbrough 52
What a game of rugby, credit to both clubs. Congratulations to our hosts in their 150th season, good luck to them in their final match of the season I hope they manage to stay up, so we can have many more afternoons like this one.
Congratulations to last week’s opponents Percy Park who secured the League title, Northern finish runners up with The Mighty Middlesbrough in 3rd
Middlesbrough’s final game is away at Aspatria on the 6th April.
“You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought”