Aspatria took the full five points from a 32-19 win at Ponteland to move into fifth place in the Durham/Northumberland League.
It will be the plan to stay there after the final game of the year next week but it is a challenging one at Percy Park, the undefeated league leaders.
Aspatria made it six wins in a row in a very watchable arm wrestle with Ponteland.
The victory was deserved and the score line looks convincing but for long periods the home side had Aspatria on the ropes and looked fully capable of taking the spoils for themselves.
Aspatria got off to a near perfect start in the first minute.
Left winger Grant Bethwaite was over in the corner and celebrating when the referee, ex international whistle blower Dave Pearson, determined that he was fouled in the process and awarded a penalty try. The result was Bethwaite being chalked off the list of try scorers but Jack Clegg was saved the prospect of having to convert from near the touchline.
Following the early score the action moved to the Aspatria 22 and from a penalty six metres romped over. It was far too easy and some harsh words were exchanged behind the posts as Ponteland levelled.
Aspatria regained the momentum and enjoyed a prolonged spell of pressure in the home half. The attacking was good with centre Ryan Scott and his back division colleagues moving the ball well.
Ponteland’s defence was well-drilled and the conclusion was good rugby all around but no points. So on 17 minutes Aspatria took a pragmatic approach and Clegg slotted over a penalty to regain the lead.
The narrow advantage on the score board did not last long. Almost from the restart Ponteland’s hard working forwards created an overlap on the left for the back division to exploit.
They looked to have done so only for the referee to bring play back for an offence spotted in the build-up.
Ponteland bottled Aspatria in the 22 and spoiled the escape plan with a turn over which caught the Black Reds defence out of position and was rewarded with a score under the sticks. A right ding dong of a game was evolving.
In the next attacking phase Jack Clegg at stand-off twice broke through the defence and was stopped short inches from the try line. In the process of this passage of play the home side defence was desperate but effective, although a man was lost to the bin.
Ponteland appeared to have diffused the threat and cleared the ball from the home 22. An opportunity created for the Aspatria back line to demonstrate that they could also take advantage of a disorganised defence.
When Joe Beaty joined the attack from full back he had the guile to beat the final tackle and go in at the left corner flag. Clegg showed his merit with a touchline conversion to reclaim the lead, 14:17
With the first half petering out Aspatria released pressure from their half with a speculative kick downfield.
The home full-back was a match for the bouncing ball but not the Aspatria chasers who were on him like a pack of hungry jackals.
The result was an Aspatria scrum ten metres out from the try line. The scrum nudged forward, towards the line providing the opportunity for number eight Matthew Atkinson to burst off the back with a short but unstoppable run in for a 24-14 half-time lead.
From the outset of the second half Ponteland gained a better territorial grip on the game, with most of the play now around halfway or in the Aspatria half.
Against the immediate run of play Aspatria registered a 4th bonus point try. On 54 minutes a couple of penalties conceded by Ponteland were used to gain a line-out position in the home 22.
The execution was perfect with Aspatria gathering the ball and moving into a rolling maul. Step by step progress was slow and steady.
Ponteland simply could not counter the move and hooker Adam Cavanagh took the ball through a final pile of bodies for the score and Clegg converted.
Ponteland weren’t prepared to lie down and it was bodies on the line time for the Black Reds and they did not disappoint. A series of mighty hits were required to keep this lively Ponteland side at bay.
Into the final 15 minutes Aspatria’s grip on the game still looked vulnerable. Ponteland certainly thought so with the mantra of ‘keep the ball alive’ being shared by coach and players alike.
The home side did just that, running the ball from any, and all, positions. Aspatria countered with efficiency and held out several dangerous attacks launched by both backs and forwards.
Ponteland’s control of possession near the line eventually paid off with a score at the right corner flag but with only minutes on the clock it had come too late.
From the restart Aspatria pressed and were relieved to see the referees arm go up for a penalty award. Clegg knocked over to deliver the victory..
