Mon 29 Sep 2025 11:56
North Shields 29 Whitley Bay Rockcliff 37
This Northumberland Senior Plate tie, played in front of a good crowd, was the definitive game of two halves, with Rockcliff dominating the first half, and a resurgent North Shields bossing the second.
Jack Rendles, celebrating his 150th appearance for North Shields, got his side off to a good start with an early penalty, but Will Forster equalised with a penalty shortly afterwards for 3 3.
Evan Bradford then scored the first try of the match, converted by Forster, for 10 3 in Rockcliff's favour. Bradford added a second try shortly afterwards, finishing in the left corner after good work by Ryan Rapallo. Again Forster was on target with the conversion, for 17 3 to Rockcliff with eleven minutes played.
Rockcliff kept their momentum up with tries from captain for the day Niall Stokes, and then Dan Leach. Both were converted by Forster for 31 3. North Shields got a toehold back in the game when Ben Dalton powered over, converted by Rendles for 31 10, but the last say of the first half fell to Rockcliff, when Forster drilled home his second penalty of the afternoon and 34 10 at the break.
In the second half the North Shields pack became increasingly dominant and took full advantage of Rockcliff going off the boil and tries from Kelmsley and Tom Canning, both converted by Rendles, separated by a penalty from Forster, brought the score up to 24 37 with fifteen minutes left to to play. The Blue and Whites piled on the pressure, and an unconverted try by Gavin Duffy closed the gap further, to eight points. A final surge by Shields ended with a knock on with the try line looming, and the final whistle came, much to Rockcliff's relief.
Player of the match for North Shields was Jack Rendles, and Kieran Tweedy took the honours for Rockcliff
The two sides face each other again on 11th October, in a league and Malcom Flockton Cup double header at Hillheads.
This Northumberland Senior Plate tie, played in front of a good crowd, was the definitive game of two halves, with Rockcliff dominating the first half, and a resurgent North Shields bossing the second.
Jack Rendles, celebrating his 150th appearance for North Shields, got his side off to a good start with an early penalty, but Will Forster equalised with a penalty shortly afterwards for 3 3.
Evan Bradford then scored the first try of the match, converted by Forster, for 10 3 in Rockcliff's favour. Bradford added a second try shortly afterwards, finishing in the left corner after good work by Ryan Rapallo. Again Forster was on target with the conversion, for 17 3 to Rockcliff with eleven minutes played.
Rockcliff kept their momentum up with tries from captain for the day Niall Stokes, and then Dan Leach. Both were converted by Forster for 31 3. North Shields got a toehold back in the game when Ben Dalton powered over, converted by Rendles for 31 10, but the last say of the first half fell to Rockcliff, when Forster drilled home his second penalty of the afternoon and 34 10 at the break.
In the second half the North Shields pack became increasingly dominant and took full advantage of Rockcliff going off the boil and tries from Kelmsley and Tom Canning, both converted by Rendles, separated by a penalty from Forster, brought the score up to 24 37 with fifteen minutes left to to play. The Blue and Whites piled on the pressure, and an unconverted try by Gavin Duffy closed the gap further, to eight points. A final surge by Shields ended with a knock on with the try line looming, and the final whistle came, much to Rockcliff's relief.
Player of the match for North Shields was Jack Rendles, and Kieran Tweedy took the honours for Rockcliff
The two sides face each other again on 11th October, in a league and Malcom Flockton Cup double header at Hillheads.
