North Shields Sunderland 3rdxv

With a change to fixture Sunderland travelled to North Shields with an untested front row, with messers Lawson and Turnbull ably deputising for the day at tight and loosehead. Young Michael Collins had a gentle re introduction playing a full 80 minutes after a lengthy lay off during which time he had worked on his physique, no longer the toned and ripped winger but a specimen for the ever increasing pack.

Sunderland started brightly and keep ball appeared to be the Forwards of the day. As the match settled Sunderlands backs via Stevie Graham and Kev Logan started to take a hold of a more open running game cutting very direct strong lines, sensibly never to far from the chasing pack.

Sunderland took the early lead, quick thinking from Keith Richardson from the back of a scrum on the halfway line, box kicked down the right wing for Swanny to chase and catch. From the ensuing tackle quick ball out found Link Man Peter Groak in open space and in a flash he shipped the ball out wide to Stevie Graham who with a bit to do cut a line and after the obligatory hand off and breaking a tackle or two, crashed over in the right corner.

That try and handling only a taster of things to come, with the sun on their backs both teams decided to throw the ball about as if it were a sevens game.

Sunderland increased their lead further when Kev Logans lung bursting break was only thwarted by a last ditch tackle, but a superb off load found Stevie Graham who in turn fixed the full back then gave Phil Bellfield a well timed pass for him to outwit and outpace the left winger to score near the posts. Another great team try.

Sunderlands best try of the game again was a team effort clinically finished by John Grainger. After a strong run down the left wing Paul Hands retained posession setting Stevie Graham away, three hand offs later the ball was spread to Grainger at 10, out to Kev Logan who fixed his man before giving the inside pass, not to our full back but to John Grainger who deftly fly hacked the ball behind the opposition 15 and from 25m out used his pace and muscled his opposite number off the ball to touch down just wide of the left hand upright, cooly converted by Keith Richardson.

Shields had good spells of forward pressure and with their lively scrum half pulling a few strings looked to add to their earlier try and converted penalty but Sunderlands resolution was firm, and with a Grainger penalty of their own ran out winners on the day.

Sore necks for our new props and well deserved post match drinks all around.