Last gasp win gets the Developments teams season going

Novos Development team made the short trip to Wallsend Warriors on a miserable October day, Novos had a strong young 15 but didn’t have any subs due to other teams having league games.

The game started off with Novos putting the warriors pack under pressure and turning the ball over several times, the Novos back line were splintering the Wallsend defence.

After 10 minutes Novos got a deserved lead when after good running from the Novos own line from the Novos backs, Dave Henry broke free on half way and out ran the big warriors backline to score under the posts. The conversion was taken by Jack Huston on debut but he missed the kick.

Novos continued to dominate the game all over the park, but on the half hour mark 5 minutes of madness let in 3 Wallsend tries to make it 21-5.

Novos sucked it up and began to dominate the game again, after another good backs move saw Henry put in his Irish centre partner Brian Keith who gassed his way to the line. Adam “Wilkinson” Longstaff stepped up to add the easy kick for goal.

At half time the score was 21-12 which was not a true reflection of how the game went in the first half.

Novos raced out of the blocks in the second half and scored early on when Alan Pitchfford “raced” down the middle of the pitch for 40 meter before slipping the ball inside to Dave Henry who ran the try in from 20 meters out. From in front of the posts Longstaff missed the conversion.

On 50 minutes Novos were dealt a big blow when impressive scrum half Dan Routledge went off with a knee injury, meaning a reshuffle with Henry moving to 9, Keith going to inside centre, humble outside centre and Longstaff covering fullback and wing.

Despite being down to 14 men Novos continued to dominate the game, from scrums skipper Ian Pratt was picking up making good distance before setting to ball up for the backs to use their pace.

Novos scored again after another good break from Mikko then Dave Henry who off loaded to Longstaff a meter out who dived over the line to score. Wilkinson I mean Longstaff missed another kick from in front of the posts to leave the score 21-22.

In the final 20 minutes after some poor decision making in the Novos 22 Walsend scored an unconverted try to retake the lead 26-22.

Novos continued to press but with 10 minutes remaining Wallsend scored again to make the score 31-22.

Novos continued to batter the warriors defence from a line out Pratt pounced on a lose ball broke 20 meters to set up a ruck which lead to 5 minutes of Novos camped in the Warriors 22, many players tried to cross the try line but it was finally crossed by Dave Henry who drived one inch to score. The conversion was missed the score was now 31-27 with 3 mintes remaining.

From the kick off Novos put Wallsend under pressure but the ball was turned over and kicked into touch with 1 minute remaining.

Novos won the line out the ball was passed to Mikko who passed the ball to Brian Keith on the edge of his own 22, who beat 3 players to race away to score under the posts to give Novos the win with only time for the conversion, Longstaff missed again from in front of the posts.

Wallsend didn’t seam to believe that they had just lost the game at the final whistle, all of the Novos players were so happy with their first win of the season.

The win had so many positives for this very young team who keep improving each week and never give up, if the progress keeps coming Novos will be fighting it out near the top of the table.

Man of the match was hard to award this week with all of the backs having excellent games and the pack dominating all over the pitch but Man of the Match goes Dave Henry for 3 tires and being all over the game.

Next week the Development team are home to Gosforth falcons in the league.