Ashington RFC lose to Gateshead, but remain ahead in the league

Missing both captain Johnny Arkle and vice captain Greg Henderson, the home side were skippered by veteran Darren Dickinson, and had Tom Helliwell playing his first game at scrum half after making his debut two weeks ago in the centre.

Gateshead started strongly, and Ashington were further hampered after 9 minutes when winger Nathan Taylor went off injured. But the changes seemed to spur Ashington, with strong runs from Joseph Fearns and Darren Dickinson followed up with a tremendous Thomas Helliwell break.

From the attacking ruck, Theunis La Grange wrong footed three defenders to score under the posts, with Hepple adding the conversion.

An Ian Brierley break was followed up with runs from Christopher Johnson, Damian Martinez, and Joshua Bunning to set up an attacking lineout 20 metres out. From the catch and drive La Grange fed Owen Hayton with a beautifully timed pass, who ran to score under the posts, before Tyler Hepple converted again for a 14-0 lead after 28 minutes. Gateshead dominated the rest of the half to pull it back to 14-12.

Despite Ashington starting the second half strongly, a combination of good Gateshead defence and poor hands saw the away team awarded a penalty 10 metres from their own line.

Ashington fell asleep and a cross field kick was fielded by the Gateshead winger, who raced the length of the field to score a converted try.

Ashington were penalised three times for high tackles before Richard Harmer was yellow carded for a professional foul preventing a certain try. Gateshead's pressure told and they scored another try, the conversion giving the visitors a 14-26 lead.

Ashington fought back and good hands from Hepple and Owen Jarvis saw Brian Merryweather cut inside the covering defence to score from 30 metres out, with Hepple converting.

From a poor kick, Gateshead managed a 50-metre break to extend their lead again, despite great defence from Alexander Stott.

Ashington attacked from the restart and from the final play of the match a lineout catch and drive saw a Johnson run stopped just short of the line, but man of the match Tom Helliwell touched down to secure 2 bonus points and remain 6 points ahead of Gateshead.