Development Team finally click in big cup win

After a narrow defeat in the league last week away at Wallsend Novos had a quick chance for revenge at home to against them in the cup.

Novos were able to welcome back some players missing many of the early games of the season including, Paul Sanderson, Steve Gittins and Chris Gray.

Novos warm up was full of purpose lead by Tommy Wilson Snr, the team looked fired up for the game.

Novos received kick off and made it into the Wallsend 22 and when Novos broke away to score the game was halted after a fight broke out, the Wallsend player at the centre of it all was lucky not to be send to the sin bin after a head butt.

Novos continued to dominate but fell behind to a sloppy try from a tap penalty in the Novos 22, the conversion was missed.

Novos instantly hit back going close to scoring from Steve Gittins, before a Wallsend player was sin binned for repeated hands in the ruck. Novos took the lead after excellent work from Simon Dickinson who set the backline free and winger Rory Diggle raced home to score under the posts, Dickson added the conversion.

Wallsend re took the lead after anther stupid penalty was given away providing an easy kick for the Wallsend 10.

Novos hit back through the impressive David Marshall who scored from a practice back move, which involved him hitting the line at pace from full back to race from the edge of the 22 to score under the posts. Simon “Metronome” Dickinson slotted over another easy kick from in front of the posts.

More bad discipline gave Wallsend a kick for goal which they added and a tap penalty which was poorly defended to allow the Wallsend number 6 to score his second try making the score 14-16 after the conversion was missed.

More good work from the forwards gave quick ball to Dickinson and the Tommys in the centers fired the ball to Diggle to raced away to score from his own half. The try angered Wallsend as they tried to knee Diggle in the back as he scored but the feeble attempt was laughed at and Dickinson added to extras.

At half time Novos lead 21-16 all the talk was about having a strong start to the second half and using the pace in the back line to build on the lead. Stew Wilson went off with a stiff back after an excellent half where he put in some monster hits, he was replaced by the placid Nick Walker.

Novos started the second half like a train good work from the forwards allowed scrum half Darren McCrory to score a true snipers try from the back of a ruck in the 22. Dickinson stepped up to take the conversion and you guessed it slotted it over 28-16 to Novos.

5 minutes into the second half more good work from the forwards, presented a 3 man overlap Tommy Jnr put in a “quality” kick which hit a Wallsend player and rebounded to Brian Keith in space where he had a clear run in, but decided to run back inside beat three men and score. The Metronome put over another easy kick 35-16 to Novos with 35 minutes to go.

Tommy snr went off with old age to be replaced by Chris Gary.

15 Minutes in to the second half the ball was kicked deep into the Novos half, full back David Marshall gather the ball set off a mazy run which he stepped 3 men trying to tackle him to race clear to score. The conversion was added by dickinson 42-16.

Steve Gittins was sent to the sin bin for holding the ball in a ruck off his feet.
Dave Rutherford came onto replace Craig Patterson, Novos soon hit back with a 50 meter try for second row James Desmond. Des picked the ball up in his own half beat 6 men to race under the posts….. Brian Keith got the ball in his own half beat 3 men and raced away with Des in support, as Brian walked to the try line all that could be heard was “Keith give me the ball” surprisingly Brian passed Des the ball over the Wallsend try line to award him an easy try. Not what Tommy Snr explained he would have done if he was Brian, Dickinson converted the try 49-16.

Just was Rob Campbell “the Beast” was going to come on the substitution had to be changed as dickinson went of with a shoulder injury Richard Seed came on in the Centers with Chris Gray going 10.

More good moves in the back let flying winger Diggle race down the right wing to score his hatrick, the conversion was missed.

Out of nowhere Wallsend scored from a ruck in the Novos 22 with the small hooker diving over, the conversion was missed.

From rubbish kick off Darren McCrory he collected his kick ran clear to score under the posts, his drop goal conversion attempt was as good as his kick off, as he blasted it wide.

The score was now 59-21 with time running out Development team skipper Ian Pratt picked the ball up in his own half, the crowed and team mates shouted pass it, he ran sideways straitened to go through a gap and kept on running but with the try line only 5 meters away he was stopped by the full back, when he tried to step he rather than go over him, the ball was off loaded to Brian Keith to juggled it to race home to score. The conversion was missed full time 64-21 to Novos.

The Novos skipper was happy despite not looking happy after the disappointment of not scoring, the team display was excellent and if the team continue to play like this they will do well in the cup and move up the league.

The next round sees Novos host Northern.

Man of the Match was hard to pick with several players having excellent games including Tommy Jnr, Dickinson, Diggle and Desmond but joint man of the match goes to Marshall and Keith for excellent running with the ball.