It's easy to write a match report when you win, but when you lose, and badly at that, its not top of the list of priorities. However, not doing one is the easy option that a lot of clubs take, so I've summoned up the drive to cobble something together

We welcomed Durham City to Sutherland Park, for this top of the table clash in Durham/Northumberland 1, on the back of having our highest ever attendance at training on Thursday night, with 54 guys present! If City won, they would consolidate their lead at the top of the League, but if Novos could get a bonus point win, they would leapfrog them to top spot.

The pre-match chat had been about us possibly not getting many chances. After a good,positive and focused warm up, Novos started well, and had a couple of half chances in the first 10 minutes that they were unable to capitalise on though. And that was about as good as it got for the home side!

Some passive defence allowed City to score 3 first half tries, to go into the interval at 17-0 up, and good value for it. Nothing much had gone right for Novos, with passes going to ground or being knocked on, and us not being able to implement our normal structures and patterns. Things got worse just before half time, with Jack Spoor, possibly our best player at the time, having to go off with a suspected broken hand. Jack has recently got back to something like full fitness after some nasty injuries and a health scare in the last couple of years, so its a real shame that he is out of action again, possibly for a while. We wish him well in his recovery, and I'm sure his Commentator Partner in Crime, Tom Dias, will be looking forward to having Jack back up on the roof with him again.

The half time chat was about ramping up the D, playing in 10 minute periods, getting the first score in that first 10 mins and keeping them out. Unfortunately, none of that happened, and City dominated the second half with another 5 well worked tries, capitalising on Novos errors and passivity. Johnny Ward had burgled an interception with about 20 mins to go, but that was it for the home team in terms of troubling the City try line, although Busby came close to bagging one just before the Ref put us out of our misery.

Without a doubt this was Novos worst performance of the season, but credit of course to Durham City, a decent side with some experienced operators in key positions. They controlled the whole match, and never allowed Novos to get any kind of momentum or foothold in the game. After not wanting to be promoted back up to North 1 East in the last two seasons, it looks like they wont have a choice this year, and they are surely favourites to win the League now, if they weren't already before.

Great to see some old faces and friends from City, and it was good that a few of their lads stayed up to watch the Semi Final. Thanks to Referee Richard Gates, who was ably assisted by 2 or 3 of the wise old City players during the match!

Difficult to pick a man of the match when you get well beaten like this, but it goes to Full Back Carl Parkinson, who had a great game in Defence, and probably saved us from being on the end of an even bigger scoreline.

Novos post match analysis was brief. It happens sometimes, you congratulate the opposition, and you just have to learn your lesson, draw a line under it and move on to the next game, which after a well earned break next Saturday for the RWC Final, will be Ryton away, in 2 weeks time. I know the lads will be fired up and raring to get things back on track for that one. It was good to see them sticking together after the match, and having a few beers, and the club house was chock a block again to watch Mags' boys squeeze through to the Final. The mood was lifted somewhat by the returning 2nds and 3rds, both of whom had registered resounding victories on their travels again, the 2nds winning their 7th game in a row and remaining top of CANDY League 2, and the 3rds notching up their 4th successive win. Commiserations to the 4ths, who had a narrow loss away at Houghton, but well done to Stevie and the lads for again getting a 4th team out.

Finally, I just wanted to say that the club should be proud of how the 1st Team conducted themselves yesterday after the game, despite the frustration and disappointment of their defeat. Some weeks you lose by a lot like we did yesterday, and some weeks you win by a lot, like we did last week against Ponteland. Its important to not gloat in victory, and get too carried away, and to be respectful of your opponents. Equally, its important to lose with humility, and accept that you came off second best on the day, and some other clubs really could take a lesson from that. What goes around comes around as they say.

No League games next week, but we are looking at having an inter club fixture at 1.30pm, and then into the bar for the Final, so can all the players let their Captains know their availability for this. Onwards and upwards.

Lenny.