Newton Aycliffe have too much gas for BP
Apr
*Newton Aycliffe 42 BP 5*
Newton Aycliffe played host to touring side BP from Hull on Saturday 12^th April. The visitors, clearly having had a good night out on the Friday, were a colourful sight, all off them having painted their faces orange. Aycliffe coach Bob Malvern was also given the same treatment, although he didn’t protest too much.
The visitors began strongly and their big pack made early inroads into the home defence, coming close to scoring, but desperate defending kept them out. After a while their energy flagged and Gareth Parsonage danced through a number of players to score. A second try was added soon after by Ronnie Gilyeat. Further tries were added by Parsonage and Luke Tinkler, with Malvern adding a conversion. The score at the break was 22 - 0.
BP had no answer to the pace in Aycliffe’s backs, but they still had enough energy to use their forwards to good effect, scoring a try of their own. The Aycliffe backs were not to be left without the ball for too long, however, and more tries were forthcoming with Parsonage twice more, and Tinkler and Drew Gibson all scoring with mazy runs from a long way out. In the spirit of the game, the later conversions were taken as drop-kicks and none went over. The final score was 42 – 5, which left the rest of the afternoon free for a few festivities.
On 19th April, Aycliffe complete their league season with a visit to unbeaten Darlington Mowden Park 3rds, kick off is 3pm. Depending on other results, there is still an outside chance of Aycliffe clinching the title with a win. The following week, Aycliffe themselves are going on tour, to Huddersfield. Up-to-date information can be found on the website at www.ayclifferugby.co.uk.
