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THIS was a sweet victory – the first of the season – turning the tables on Gosforth in a nail-biting finish.

A try from the last move of the match with an added conversion took Alnwick ahead of the visitors. The final whistle blew as soon as the kick went over.

Gosforth came off the field shattered as Alnwick had done the previous season when Gosforth inflicted a similar defeat upon them.

The visitors' points came from a try and a penalty goal from outside-half Campbell, with Alnwick replying with a try from full-back Rob Howliston and that very late try by Ed Shell, with Nick Mather making his league debut adding two valuable conversions.

Until the final minutes, Gosforth had played the more enterprising rugby thoroughly deserving their half-time lead, with Alnwick operating in fits and starts.

The visitors shot off at a rate of knots – a long, raking kick from Holmes took play up to the Alnwick five metre line where the attempted line-out catch and drive was driven back. Flanker Morrison came through offside with Mather forcing play back to the centre line.

Gosforth won the line-out and spun the ball out across their three-quarters line but good tackling in the midfield stemmed the attack.

Alnwick forced play out to the wing where Ed Shell put in a sharp run down the touchline, but was driven into touch.

Alnwick won a sloppy line-out from the Gosforth throw. Richard Ellis burst forward catching Gosforth offside, Alnwick lost the ensuing line-out and then conceded a free-kick which saw Segni tap and run out play before releasing a long kick into the Alnwick 22.

Alnwick won scrummage ball for Rob Ord to pass out to Mather, who put in a mazy run to the centre line. A link-up play to full-back Howliston saw him get to the visitors' 22 line before being hauled down. In came the forwards to secure quick ball to Ed Shell who stormed along the touchline on a 40 metre run only to lose contact with his support.

Gosforth weathered this attack and quickly set up their reply to take play upfield into the Alnwick 22.

Alnwick were penalised in front of their posts. Gosforth went for a line-out drive instead of taking a very easy three points.

Alnwick held the drive and the ball went loose where Campbell hacked it away over the try-line where he got the touch-down for an unconverted try, missing the kick from in front of the posts (0-5).

Gosforth returned the restart kick into the Alnwick five metre line. Alnwick's poor throw-in was knocked on by Gosforth lock-forward Buxton to give Alnwick a very fortunate scrum ball. This was cleared down-field.

Gosforth attacked, winning good ball from an Alnwick handling mistake. A kick and chase saw the visitors threaten until Andrew Shell beat the opposition to the ball with forward support arriving, only to concede a penalty.

Campbell added the goal points to edge Gosforth further ahead right at the end of the opening half (0-8).

Gosforth continued to play some excellent running rugby but were unable to break through solid defensive play.

A break-out from Mather and Michael Black resulted in a link-up with Ed Shell. He was held up with the Alnwick forwards arriving to work the ball back to Ord, Mather and Rob Jamieson, who broke away but kicked away possession with Andrew Shell outside him.

Gosforth won a line-out ball back to Johnston who cleared play to their 10 metre line.

Quick handling by Ord saw Andrew Shell race up the touchline. His inside pass to Harry Sordy was not held giving Gosforth a relieving scrum.

Alnwick brought on Doug Gray for Aaron Armstrong as Gosforth continued to press at the Alnwick defence. A mazy run from Howliston was blocked on the centre line.

Another penalty attempt went begging – this time the kick was right on target only for the wind to push the ball outside the post.

A long drop-out ball from Mather pushed Gosforth to their 22 line and a clearance kick by Holmes into the Alnwick half was returned by Mather's boot into the visitors' 22 area.

Alnwick then threw off the shackles and started to play the constructive style of play that had been so far lacking.

A slicing run from Howliston linked up with Ellis. A crashing battering ram from the forwards split open the Gosforth pack.

Ord swept the ball out to set away the three-quarters, quick hands shuttled the ball wide with the Gosforth backs stretched, leaving a hole in the defensive cover.

Howliston came up into the line, bursting through to run the ball in for a superbly worked try. Mather put the conversion ball straight through the posts to add the goal points (7-8).

The Gosforth restart ball went straight into touch – a casual kick that they were later to regret.

Alnwick were awarded a scrum on the centre line. They won the ball back and Mather's long, low raking kick pushed Gosforth into their 22. A Gosforth clearance to half way was again returned by Mather to keep the visitors pinned back.

A half-break from Ord ended with the ball being knocked forward by Ellis. Gosforth won scrum ball back to full-back Johnston who just managed to get the ball away under pressure from Ord.

The Alnwick line-out throw was not straight, giving Gosforth the scrum.

The ball was kicked through. Alnwick kicked it out to Black who put in a determined run.

Time was nearly up with Gosforth desperately holding on to their one-point lead. Forceful Alnwick forward play drove Gosforth back.

Their scrum-half Rooney hoisted away a clearing kick to touch.

If it had gone out the game was over but the wind came to Alnwick's aid, holding up the ball to drift it back into play where Ed Shell took an awkward ball, shot away outside his opposing wing man and broke away from the visitors' full-back to gain the try near the corner flag for Alnwick to snatch the lead.

The conversion was a beauty, straight through the middle by Mather, the referee ending the match as soon as the goal was signalled (14-8).

It was too close for comfort, with Alnwick showing in the final minutes what they could achieve. Gosforth came off not believing that victory had been snatched from their hands.

Alnwick: R Howliston, A Shell, M Black, R Jamieson, Ed Shell, N Mather, Rob Ord, G Hodgson, H Sordy, M Milburn, D Oliver, Aa Armstrong, R Scott, R Ellis, S Archer, D Gray, R Middlemiss, A Alexander.

Match sponsor: HSBC. Match-ball sponsor: John Burn, a former president of Barmoor Red House.

RESULTS FROM THE DURHAM & NORTHUMBERLAND, DIVISION ONE (Saturday, October 4 2008)

Ashington 20 Consett 12

Horden 20 Percy Park 22

Northern 13 Hartlepool Rovers 16

Sunderland 12 Ryton 3

Wallsend 32 Stockton 3