Match Report - Ponteland RFC 2nd XV vs Consett 3rd XV (Away)

Consett 3rd XV 33 - 47 Ponteland 2nd XV

Ponteland RFC 2nd XV travelled to Consett for what proved to be a high-scoring and hard-fought encounter, eventually coming away with a 47–33 victory.

The match began in less-than-ideal fashion for Ponteland, as poor concentration straight from the kick-off allowed Consett to cross the whitewash within the opening two minutes. It was an early wake-up call that the visitors needed, and they responded quickly with a well-worked converted try to level the score.

From there, the tone of the first half was set by Ponteland’s dominance in the scrum. To say they were on top would be an understatement – the visiting pack absolutely destroyed Consett, repeatedly driving them backwards and even turning over possession on Consett’s own put-in. That platform allowed the backs to find their rhythm, and Ponteland ran in three more tries before the break to take a deserved 26–14 lead into halftime.

The second half, however, told a more mixed story. Ponteland’s discipline began to unravel, with a string of avoidable penalties and a yellow card that gifted Consett both territory and momentum. Those lapses allowed the home side to keep the scoreboard ticking and cross for three more tries, keeping the game far closer than it should have been.

Despite the disruption, Ponteland continued to show flashes of their attacking quality. Their forward dominance remained a constant, and when the team focused, they looked unstoppable. Three further tries in the second half secured the win, with James Clay showing superb accuracy from the tee — slotting six conversions from seven attempts to round off an excellent individual performance.

In the end, Ponteland were deserved winners, but they’ll know that the match could have been far more comfortable. The team will take heart from the power and cohesion shown in the set piece and their ability to create and finish chances, yet there’s no doubt that lapses in discipline and focus kept Consett in the contest.

A 47–33 away win is always welcome, but the message will be clear heading into next week — keep the concentration, maintain composure, and the results will take care of themselves.