Related stories:SLIDESHOW of Alnwick RFC v Billingham RFCWHAT a superb match between two evenly-balanced teams.
Billingham have led the front runners for promotion right from the start but in the end they conceded that they were fortunate to come away with the points. They knew that they were going to have a tough match, they found it against a battling Alnwick side, that equally matched the Teesside outfit.
Resolute tackling from all the 15 squeezed dry the scoring potential of the visitors' pacy three-quarters with no quarter asked, or given.
Running into an early lead from a powerful line-out which saw Robert Neil driven over they dominated the first-half proceedings.
Billingham fought back and it was well into the second half before they drew level, it was only when Alnwick were reduced to 14 players, a technical offence and a ten-minute stay in the sin bin for prop Aaron Armstrong, which saw Billingham slip into a three-point lead to which they added a try to deny Alnwick any points.
A pulsating gutsy performance from Alnwick with some splendid open rugby from both teams.
Right from the start the forwards tore into the Billingham pack. The ball went loose and was kicked through to the visitors' full-back Shepherd who was flattened by flanker Robert Scott, making his league debut.
Alnwick had a five metre line-out – a solid catch and drive saw the Billingham pack driven back over the tryline, where Robert Neil got the touchdown (5-0).
Billingham swept back – two sharp moves from their three-quarters ended with a line-out on the home five metre line and again Alnwick stole the Billingham throw through James Fernback, who passed back to Ian Gray who pushed play deep out of the Alnwick 22 area.
Quick line-out ball by Billingham saw the backs shift the ball out crisply along the line where the Hyndman brothers tried their utmost to evade the Alnwick midfield centres, William Peberdy and Rob Jamieson. If they did manage to wriggle out of the tackle they were promptly hammered down by the Alnwick back-row.
Both sides were playing the ball wide but neither could break through tight defences.
Billingham tried many options, moving the ball out left then back across field trying to out-guess and out-pace a tenacious Alnwick defence but the score remained 5-0 at half-time.
Alnwick continued to batter away at the visitors' pack and to harry them unmercifully every time they got the ball to the backs.
Alnwick worked the touchline following a five-metre penalty line-out and a surging drive was just held out. They were awarded a scrum but a dropped ball saw Billingham work their scrum ball out to touch.
Another drive by the home forwards was so close to success.
Billingham broke from the shackles of Alnwick pressure and outside-half Evans drove the ball to the Alnwick tryline. In came support, but the Billingham forwards were driven back time and time again.
The coup de grace came from a break by Woodhouse whose overhead pass was taken on by Shepherd who touched down for the equalising score with an unconverted try (5-5).
Spurred on by this late success, Billingham mounted a series of swift attacks. Alnwick repelled them until Chris Hyndman was held after being tackled and the resulting penalty to Billingham was goaled by Evans.
With Alnwick then reduced to 14 players, Billingham took advantage of the extra player to run the ball wide with the full-back coming up on the overlap to put Evans in at the corner (5-13).
Alnwick: H Wrangham, A Shell, W Peberdy, R Jamieson, R Anderson, I Gray (capt), Aa Armstrong, K Cahill, M Miburn, D Oliver, J Fernback, R Scott, C Davies, R Neil, A Philipson, R Ellis, P Wilson.
The man-of-the-match award, presented by Ken Hodgson of The Oaks Hotel, went to Richard Anderson. Match sponsors: HSBC Bank. Saturday's match is at Percy Park, kick-off 3pm.
