Newcastle Thunder 56-20 Midlands Hurricanes
Betfred Championship Round Twenty-Five
By Tom Kiernan-Wilson
Mark Dunning’s men – looking to bounce back from a tough defeat to Doncaster the previous weekend – headed up to the Northeast to face a full-time Newcastle Thunder outfit that had won their last 13 games on the bounce. After struggling to name a fit 17 against the Dons the Canes had some fortune as Liam Sutcliffe, Ryan Johnson and Sully Medforth all returned to the lineup after missing out the previous week through injury.
The Canes struck first in Blaydon, after some ill-discipline from Thunder allowed the visitors to make good territory and put Oliver Roberts in space to canter through a gap and put the ball down behind the posts after just seven minutes (0-4). Matty Chrimes – keeping his kicking duties from last week – duly added the extras (0-6).
Just 60 seconds later the Canes looked like they were about to double their lead as Thunder failed to deal with a high bomb and Luis Roberts was put in space, but his effort was chalked off for a deemed forward pass in the build-up. The Canes would however extend their lead just three minutes later as Johnson would crash over after taking a short pass close to the line (0-10). Chrimes could not convert.
The Canes would almost extend their lead on fifteen minutes after Chrimes would be put in space to run down the left edge, but his counterpart Andy Djeukessi would defend well and force him into touch before having an opportunity to put the ball down.
The hosts then seemingly turned up the heat and produced a dominant second period to the first half. Djeukessi would be their first try-scorer after some good handling from left to right put him in space (4-10), and Myles Harrison would nail an impressive conversion (6-10). Thunder would then go back to back as Jordan Lipp carved through a gap to score (10-10), with Harrison nudging Newcastle ahead via the conversion (12-10).
The Canes then went through a rapid spell of adversity as a grubber kick would be cleared for a goal-line drop out by Lewis Else and Isaac Shaw, but Isaac – who had only been on the field for two minutes – would unfortunately dislocate his kneecap during a collision and be stretchered off. Aiden Roden would also suffer a head knock and fail his head-injury assessment, meaning the Canes would play the rest of the game with 15 men.
Thunder took full advantage of the Canes discombobulation, with Brad Ward scoring down the left edge (16-10) but Harrison missing the conversion. Three minutes later Bailey Antrobus would score down the middle following a break and a flat pass (20-10), with Harrison converting (22-10).
Mitch Clark would extend Thunder’s lead further with a few minutes to go before half-time following as a shellshocked Canes defence would begin to tire (26-10) – which Harrison converted (28-10) – and Will Roberts would score Newcastle’s sixth try seconds before the hooter (32-10) which Harrison would also convert (34-10). Within the space of 21 minutes, a 10-point lead for the Canes would turn into a 24-point deficit.
The Canes would however start the second half strongly, scoring after just two minutes after Djeukessi would spill an attempted catch into the waiting hands of Chrimes for his 19th try of the season (34-14). Chrimes could not convert his own try from out wide.
The two sides would then trade sets for ten minutes before Newcastle regained their 24-point lead, with Brad Ward finding himself in space and leaping with an acrobatic finish in the corner (38-18). Harrison could not extend Newcastle’s lead from out wide.
After another 15 minutes or so of the sides trading sets and defending well, the Canes would strike next as a looping pass out right would be intercepted by Chrimes who would go on to run 90 metres and turn his counterpart inside out to score a real contender for try of the week (38-18). After regaining his breath, Chrimes would convert his own try (38-20).
Matty would almost secure his hat-trick just a minute later after a break down the right edge, but he would be taken into touch in-goal and Thunder would earn a 7-tackle restart from which Brad Ward would earn his own hat-trick down the left edge (42-20). Harrison would convert (44-20).
Newcastle would finish the game strongly in the final five minutes as the Canes began to tire once again. Lipp would score a nearly identical try to his first just left of the sticks (48-20) with Harrison taking Thunder to a half-century (50-20). Thunder would put a foot behind the dead ball line to take our kick restart out on the full, and from the resulting penalty King Vuniyayawa scored the final try of the afternoon under the posts (54-20), with Harrison converting (56-20).
A difficult afternoon for the Canes would come to an end shortly thereafter, but with the play-offs already secured and knowing we will end our regular season at Avery Fields, the Canes will be hoping to put in a professional performance for 80 minutes against North Wales Crusaders on the Bank Holiday Sunday.
Man of the Match:
Matty Chrimes (Sponsored by Project Furniture)
Tries:
O Roberts, Johnson and Chrimes (2)
Cons:
Chrimes (2/4)
