Guisborough leave it late to overcome tough opposition

GUISBOROUGH made the journey through the Tyne Tunnel to take on North Shields on Saturday. Playing against a steady breeze, and with the sun in their eyes, the Priorymen were immediately put under pressure by the home team. Defending, Guisborough were finding it difficult to break out of their half, and the first scoring opportunity fell to the hosts when a penalty was awarded 30 metres out and in front of the posts. Fortunately, for the visitors, the attempt at goal sailed just wide of the target.

Eventually Guisborough made their way into the away team half. Michael MacDougall broke through the midfield and passed to Liam Corcoran. Play was taken into the North Shields’ 22, where Jack Robinson headed to the left-hand corner. Offloading to Ewan Cameron, the ball was intercepted, but any danger of a breakaway was thwarted by Ben Buckworth’s tackle. Unfortunately, it was deemed high, giving the home team a penalty and a chance to clear.

North Shields were using the weather well, with long kicks into the Guisborough 22 keeping the visitors inside their own half. One such kick was carried into touch by Cameron, around the 22 metre mark. From the line-out, the hosts moved the ball towards the left wing. A clever and well weighted chip through the Guisborough defence was collected and the home team scored the first points of the day. The hosts turned the screw once more and a further penalty, 20 metres out, allowed them to increase their lead with a successful kick at goal.

Just before the interval, Guisborough managed to break out into the North Shields’ half. A penalty was kicked to touch five metres out. A catch and drive closed in on the try-line. Several attempts to cross were knocked back by a strong defence, before Michael Henderson did cross the whitewash. However, he was held up, unable to ground the ball and no try was awarded. Half time, North Shields 8, Guisborough 0.

Now with the elements in their favour, it was anticipated that Guisborough would be the dominant team. This was not to be though, as North Shields were awarded a brace of penalties taking them into the away team 22. An attack along the left wing took play up to the try-line, where an infringement spotted by the referee resulted in Henderson receiving a yellow card and reducing the visitors to 14 players. From the resulting penalty, a quick-tap was initially halted, but a second attempt to breach the visitors’ defence was successful and North Shields increased their lead further.

Guisborough needed some inspiration to get a foothold in the game. It came from a line-out inside the North Shields’ half. MacDougall broke forward and passed to James Clark. A robust run took him towards the posts. Although grounded, recycled ball reached Lewis Robson, whose running line took him through the away team defence and under the posts to score.

Now it was the turn of Guisborough to use the conditions to their advantage, as Clark’s long raking kick took play up to the North Shields’ try-line. Cleared into touch, it gave the visitors a platform to attack. From the line-out Mat Rawlinson powered forward in midfield. The ball was shipped out right to Lodge, but he was bundled into touch just short of the whitewash. A similar scenario saw Clark’s kick bounce into the North Shields’ 22. Cameron was up quickly and tackled. His team mates followed and pressure paid off as a penalty was awarded. Kicked to touch, a line-out was won. The ball was passed along the backline to Rawlinson, who bounced off tackles to score under the posts.

With the game in its final quarter, the visitors took control. An attack from the right wing, following a line-out, saw Corcoran move forward before offloading to Clark. The ball found its way to Robinson on the 22-metre line and he scythed through the North Shields’ defence to score and give his team the lead for the first time in the game.

It was now one way traffic, with the home team’s defence tiring. A scrum to Guisborough saw the ball moved right. Cameron came in off his wing and burst through midfield, before rounding any potential tacklers to score a well worked try to the left of the posts. Another long punt downfield by Clark saw North Shields touch the ball behind the goal line for a drop out under their posts. The kick out was held up in the wind and collected by Robinson; he spotted a gap and headed forward, evading tackles, scoring under the posts for the final try of the game.

On Saturday Guisborough entertain Barnard Castle RUFC at Belmangate.