Novos 8, Gateshead 21

Two much changed sides ran out onto an unfrozen Eastwood Gardens pitch. We had trained well and felt we could get something out of this fixture against a side who sit above us in the league.

We started well but Gateshead also had some decent drives into our territory. They scored first after we attacked out wide and chose to kick the ball away. A poor kick was scooped up and Gateshead carried well to get deep into our half. After a prolonged period of pressure Gateshead went over for a converted try. Gateshead 7-0 up.

We were scrummaging well and getting across the gain line but we just couldn't move the ball wide with any accuracy. Richard Dodd applied the game plan well as Gatesheads young fly half was unable to kick them out of their own half. With territory at about 70/30 we created pressure but missed a couple of opportunities to score when the Gateshead back three were caught out of position. On each occasion the ball bounced away from us when we could have easily scored.

Gateshead then scored again to make it 14-0 after a soft offside penalty.

Novos finally got on the board as the second half closed as Rory Duncan went over before he added a penalty to make the half time score 14-8 to Gateshead.

In the second half we stuck to the game plan as we again controlled field position. Time and time again we hammered away at the Gateshead line but their defence stood up to the pressure. We perhaps should have moved it wide on occasions when we had created space but were not clinical enough in Gatesheads 22m. In addition, we missed three shots at goal which should have changed the outcome of the game.

The game changing moment actually came with ten mins to play as Gateshead had a scrum 5m from their own line. We pushed them back behind their try line but the Gateshead 8 somehow managed to scoop the ball up out of the second row and take off as we kept scrummaging. He musnt have believed his luck as he carried the ball 50m before being tackled. Gateshead then recycled the ball and moved it wide to score a fine counter attack try completely against the run of play. Gateshead 21, Novos 8.

Sometimes in life if you just have to laugh it off when things don't go your way. We had all the territory but were not clinical in scoring points. I am still unsure how that scrum on their line ended up in us standing under our posts. That's rugby I guess. A thrown together side had played really well, implementing a clear game plan. However, the defining moments of the game all went Gatesheads way. Full credit to the Gateshead boys who got over the gain line and finished their chances much better than us.

Next week we play Medicals where I guess it will be all about the students. Will they have lost some players ? Will the fact that we will be getting our students back be enough to get us across the line. Lets hope so.