December comes with a good win on the road

Horden v Billingham Lions
December has arrived and brought winter weather as the Lions travelled up to Horden for a friendly, never understood that particular rugby term especially at Horden where you know you will be in for a bruising hard fought contest. With all our young guns away on County duty and others unavailable through injury a mixture of players from other teams were drafted in. With Adamson filling in at hooker joining Cranson and McCabe in the front row they packed down against a huge opposition front row who seemed to know all about “boring in” Hamer continued the successful partnership with Wildridge in the power house and Davies staring at openside teaming up with Raey and Scott in the back row. In the backs Woodhouse renewed his partnership with Joe Evans with Turnbull joining Westall in the centres, Keenan and Watkins out wide and Chris Hyndman a promising youngster at fifteen. The first half turned out to be a war of attrition as we expected with neither side giving an inch in defence although the home side looked slightly better in the tight probably due to extra weight and experience. With no score on the board and half an hour gone Scott who had charged at their defence twisted a knee and had to be replaced by Burns just as Horden scored their only points of the game with a penalty.
Half Time Horden 3 v Billingham Lions 0
With only five minutes gone and the Lions mauling the home side being camped totally in their twenty Wildridge who looked to be in very good form took a popped ball at the ruck and powered over to open our account with the snow just starting to fall. Joe Evans had to rush the kick and narrowly missed what is normally his bread and butter kick. With three quarters of the match gone and the home side tiring the backs put together a fine move with Hyndman joining the line, Westall taking a great line and Turnbull looping round and sprinting in from distance. (we will not comment on his conversion attempt) Bates came on for Watkins who had defended well but yet again had little opportunity to demonstrate his attacking prowess. With an hour of the game gone Oliver came on for Davies and Tennant replaced McCabe and a reshuffling of the pack took place. Hamer went to prop which seemed to give a balance in size although it appeared boring in was still taking place. Director of Rugby Mr. Stewart Farquar hyphen Evans running the line commented on the state of play saying that the next score may be important we explained all scores are important (coach will explain Stu) . Horden had a scrum ten metres out after Oliver had broken through made excellent yards and passed out of the tackle which was ruled a knock on by a supporting Lion although it appeared it came of a Horden hand. The Lions dug deep with Raey barking orders for a big scrum, their scrum half wound up his pass and Woody kicked it from his hands, caught the ball and sprinted in (Quote “That will be talked about for weeks” S. Scott). Horden pressed up the field as we defended resolutely and with Burns doing great work at the base of the scrum the pressure was eased. Billingham were playing the rugby we are used to seeing and hearing as the play flowed side to side with quick ball well presented by the forwards and Coach Hyndman very vocal at the back directing play for the backs. Despite the biting cold our handling was superb as Joe Evans went over under the posts with Turnbull slotting his second conversion in front of the posts. The final score was a bolt from the blue or rather a bolt from the Keenan who took the ball in space out wide and went like the wind to score in the corner. Is the ols Zammo back or was it blind panic with several Hrden players chasing him? We will never know
Full Time Horden 3 v Billingham Lions 29
Scorers Tries Wildridge 1, Turnbull 1, Woodhouse 1, Evans 1, Keenan 1
Conversions Turnbull 2 (Will not mention the last conversion attempt!)
Thanks to our travelling supporters once again braving the conditions.