Morpeth 11--10 Old Brods

What a cliffhanger of a game in this very tense season with Morpeth
just securing the vital points in order to stave off relegation fears.
It was a game played in very difficult conditions under foot due to the
recent bad weather.
It is proving to be a very tense end of season with 6 teams all in
with the chance of relegation.
The Yorkshire side kicked off and despite early pressure it became
increasingly obvious that this game was going to be decided by a couple
of points and so it proved to be.Morpeth played some good rugby in the
conditions but were met by outstanding defence.In one passage of play
the home side re-cycled the ball through 10 phases but were unable to
pierce the visitor's defence.Mooney,who was outstanding throughout made
a break down centre field only to be foiled by a last ditch tackle.
However, from further Morpeth pressure Jinks kicked a simple penalty
to take a halftime lead of 3--0.To be fair the home side continued to
play good open rugby throughout.

Brodleians started the second half in a determined fashion and soon
had a penalty for an equalising score.Things then got worse for the
home side when a converted try after 20 minutes of the second half gave
Brods a 10=3 lead.
Morpeth then dominated the match, prop Balmain to the fore,ably
assisted by Stephenson in the second row,with Ramsey scrummaging well 
after coming on for the injured Carmichael.
A home score was inevitable and it came from a close range scrum,
forward pressure and a pick up by number 8 Morrison who crashed over.
Jinks missed the conversion to leave the home side 2 points down as we
headed into injury time.
But Morpeth were not to be denied and from further good pressure backs
and forwards combined for Jinks to some how make sufficient contact for
the drop goal which just about made it through the sticks to make the
score 11-10.
It was probably no surprise that the drama did not end there with
Brods having a final penalty to take the points.The kick was
agonisingly close but not close enough,2 points to the Mitford Road
side an excellent win.

This Saturday sees Morpeth with their last home league game of the

 season hosting local rivals Gateshead ,in a game that is precluded

by the Past Players Lunch.