MATCH REPORTS 2008/9 SEASON
28/03/09 JARROVIANS 8 DURHAM CITY III 36
A try and one penalty were the only crumbs of comfort in this heavy defeat at the hands of a well drilled Duham side at Lukes Lane on saturday. The game went horribly wrong from the off for the home side when a promising forward driving attack was turned over by Durham. The visitors, with murderous intent, broke out from their own twenty two and the backs ran in a blisteringly fast converted try. From the restart Durham hit Jarrow with a double whammy and scored again. The home side dusted themselves down and took the game back at Durham, wisely keeping the ball away from their useful backs in a series of driving rucks. Tony Tiffen and Brian Shaw were utilised well hitting hard and laying the ball back for scum-half Gary Archbold. An infringement at the ruck in front of the posts gave Jarrow a penalty scored by Bruce Parker to keep themselves in contention at 14-3. However the wiley Durham pack were adept at stealing the ball at the ruck and Jarrow paid heavily when another try was scored nullifying Jarrow's valiant efforts. The game was running away from the Jarrowmen at 21-3 and decisive action was needed. Skipper Gareth Roberts, in a tactical masterstroke, moved Davey Johnson from the flank to outside centre and switched Bryan Mccoy to the wing. With the defence stiffened up by the big hitting Johnson Jarrow were more effective and snuffed out several dangerous and promising Durham attacks. A free kick on the half way was taken quickly by Bobby Whitehead and the hooker crashed into the Durham defence. Archbold passed out to Chris Hastie who gained yardage and popped the ball out right to Roberts. The big prop drew the defence brilliantly, giving a deft pass to McCoy coming on at pace. The ageing, yet deceptively quick, winger outsprinted the cover defence to score in the corner reducing the deficit to 21-8. However the jubilation wasn't to last long when hot-headed scrum-half Archbold was sin binned for a stamping incident at the ruck and Jarrow were down to fourteen men. Durham cut loose and attempted to finish Jarrow off but strong tackling from Tony Burn and brothers Adam and Scott Shorten thwarted the visitors. Once again Jarrow took the game to Durham and kept it tight. Mark Greenwood and Chis Hastie were devastating with the crash ball and knocked the visitors back, keeping Jarrow's hopes high. Surviving unscathed into half time Jarrow were making life difficult for Durham and still in contention. However with the strong wind at their backs after the break the visitors proved too much of a handful and ran away with it. Bob Winn coming on for Neil Metcalf was a revelation at full-back,fielding every kick under difficult circumstances. Andy Cooper also appeared on the wing proving useful in defence and courageous with ball in hand. However,utilising the wind well the Durham fly-half teased and taunted Jarrow. With pacey backs outside of him and the option of a long wind assisted kick into touch he knocked the stuffing out of Jarrow and orchestrated his side a 36-8 victory.
24/01/09 beaten off washington away
17/01/09 beaten of Aycliffe in cup
10/01/09 frozen pitches no game
3/01/09 Chester choke
Jarrovians 26- Chester-le-street 0
Jarrovians got the new year off in fine fettle with a resounding victory over Chester le street at Luke’s Lane on Saturday. Bouncing back from the traditional New Years Day hammering at the hands of Westoe’s social side one might have expected a different result but Jarrow were determined to prove otherwise. The home sides forwards were surprisingly dominant the whole game. Brian Shaw was imperious at the lineout and the front row combinations of Berry, Archbold, Taylor and Wilson devastatingly effective at the scrum. Chesters scrummage was a liability all game and provided the platform for scrum half Gary Archbold to unleash his backs at will. Fittingly it was massive jarrow prop Charlie Wilson who scored the first try with a typical bulllocking charge up the middle. Despite the brave Chester tackling Wilson rebuffed all attempts with contemptuous ease and scored under the posts. Parker stepped up to take the two points and an early 7-0 lead. The home side also found themselves with an embarrasment of riches in the back row. Chris Hastie and Dave Johnston are a force to be reckoned with in open play and on Saturday were also joined by Scott Shorten at number eight. Pity the opposition when Phil Cockburn returns from injury. With these three flyers, Craig Donald at fly-half, could choose any attacking option desired, given the forward dominance and did so with panache. Chester were really up against it, but managed to deny any further Jarrow points until the twenty minute mark when Shorten scored a fine, well deserved try. Supporting the backs he took a well timed pass from big Andy Stanton, who managed to draw two defenders, giving Shorten space to sprint over in the left corner. David Berry converted to stretch Jarrows lead 14-0. The visitors turned the tables somewhat and managed to test Jarrows defence with a mini rennaisance towards half-time. However Jarrow were not found wanting defensively and managed to hold the determined efforts of the Chester backs denying any score to maintain their hard earned 14-0 lead at half time.
Jarrow Captain Bob Winn made some shrewd tactical changes, bringing veteran number eight Matty Lindsay, hard boiled prop Gary Archbold snr and flying winger Will Nelson into the equation. An inspired decision as it turned out when Archbold with fresh legs found himself ball in hand in open play on the visitors twenty two. The burly prop sniffed glory and trundled forward with ominous intent glinting in his eye. Taking several strides to get up to speed the first tackle was simply brushed aside and there was no stopping him now. Two more tackles came and went like Christmas and new year. Well planned but ultimately disappointing. Archbold gained the try line and five points the Chester backs ruefully nursed their bruises. Super sub number two, in the shape of Matty Lindsay also crossed the try line from a pick up and go from the back of the scrum. However the ref deemed the veteran number eight had made a double movement as he dived over and disallowed it. Chester heaved a sigh of relief but it was to be a short lived reprieve when the Jarrow backs got in on the act to score a mesmerising try from deep in their own half. Bruce Parker fielded a kick on his twenty two and started towards the Chester half. Evading all comers the centre made fifty yards and passed out of the tackle to the onrushing Will Nelson. Charging up the middle Nelson handed off one but was brought down by the second tackle. Cleverly popping the ball up he found David Berry who picked up the pace and scorched the final twenty yards to score under the posts. The conversion was slotted taking the lead to 26-0 and this proved to be the final score as Jarrow secured a well deserved victory. The home side were cheered and touched in equal measure after the game when Westoe Stalwart Dicky Elliot turned up in the bar and presented a cheque for the Paul Swaddle memorial fund. This was much appreciated and Jarrovians extend thanks to all the Westoe lads for such a generous gesture.
13/12/08 Jarrovians 17 Chester-le-street 3
In the driving rain Jarrovians ground out a 17-0 victory against Chester-le-street at Lukes Lane on saturday. Inspired by man-of-the match Chris Hastie the homeside took an early lead through a captains try from Gareth Roberts. Shortly before the break veteran number eight Matty Lindsey stormed over for a try converted by Craig Donald. Jarrow held firm in the second half when the visitors clawed their way back into contention. Resolute tackling from Jamie Broadway and Bobby Whitehead helped maintain the status quo. Chester's only consolation for all of their efforts was a converted penalty to close the gap to 12-3. Unfortunately for Chester a poorly judged kick gifted possession to jarrow's Colin Mckeown. The burly full back gathered and scorched upfield, pausing briefly to advise a small child on the touchline that there's no santa, only to be tackled shy of the visitors twenty two. Passing out of the tackle McKeown shouted out that the tooth fairy is a myth and found Lindsey who sidestepped the winger and scored a mesmerising second try to give jarrow a healthy 17-3 victory
06/12/08 Oppositon cancelled. see photos of the interclub kickaround
29/11/08 Opposition cancelled game
22/11/08 Opposition cancelled game
15/11/08 Jarrow Withdraw From League Competition
Jarrovians 4 Chester-le-street 20
With great regret Jarrovians players elected to withdraw from the Durham and Northumberland league system on Saturday. The decision was not taken lightly but, their hand has been forced by a deepening crisis. Injuries have taken their toll but the real problem, a lack of commitment, has meant that the Jarrow Club have struggled to field fifteen players week on week. Not wanting to repeatedly cancel games and let down the opposition Jarrow will play at second team level in that league for the remainder of the season. Paradoxically, haven taken this major decision, the Jarrowmen then proceeded to play one of their best games of the season thus far.
Jarrow got off to a flying start and immediately put Chester on the back foot with a devastating first scrum. The street scrummage was on the verge of collapse when Matty Lindsay picked up and drove at the heart of the the Chester midfield. Setting up the ruck more yardage was gained by Gareth Roberts and Bobby Whitehead seeing the ball lashed out to Bruce Parker. The fly half introduced big Andy Stanton on the scissors and the massive centre crashed through. However, a brutal double tackle on the margin of illegality saw the ball spilled forward. The promising move was snuffed out and, from the resultant scrum, Chester regrouped and held firm. With a sigh of relief the ball was hoofed deep into the Jarrow half. A massive kick from fullback and man-of-the-match Jamie Broadway was returned with interest but gathered by the Chester full-back. The speedy number fifteen ran a superbly measured attack back at Jarrow and weaved his way through heavy traffic, brushing off weak tackling to score in the corner. The conversion was missed and Jarrow once again went into attack mode. The forwards pushed hard and gained precious hard yards marshalled by the ebullient Gary Archbold at scrum-half. It seemed inevitable that the the home side would score with Parker and Stanton hitting hard. However, the visitors didn't read the script and lady luck was on their side when, once again, they scored another try against the run of play. Chester took the conversion and Jarrow were now 12-0 down but by no means out of the game. Even when Chester converted a penalty into three points and 15-0 the result was never guaranteed with Jarrow in beligerent mood. Strong running from Chris McCintosh and the blisteringly quick Chris Hastie forced Chester into an infringement on the visitors twenty two. The evergreen Lindsey spotted the opportunity and took a quick tap from the penalty. With a mesmersing, and almost slow motion, sidestep and dummy the veteran number eight scored under the posts to keep Jarrow in touch at 15-5. Chester survived into the break after another ten minutes of sustained Jarrow pressure with joint Man-of-the-match Parker and centre Bryan McCoy both coming close, but not troubling the scoreboard man.
Skipper Gareth Roberts made personell changes at half time with Andy Burn and John Deacon entering the fray. The breathtakingly quick Deacon made an immediate impact with a nifty break from the half way line. Sidestepping his man Deacon sprinted upfield but was hauled down within metres of the try line by the equally quick Chester wing. The visitors found themselves under siege but Jarrow were unable to convert pressure and territorial advantage into points. Chester showed the way, throwing caution to the wind and turning the tables on the home side from their own twenty two. The Chester fly-half, inventive and dangerous all game threw a huge mis-pass out to his winger, who sprinted to the halfway. A huge tackle from Broadway stopped him dead, but excellent support running kept the move alive. Taking the ball on the big Chester lock thundered down the left wing. Tackles came in but the big man brushed the defenders aside like skittles and scored in the corner to stretch the visitors lead to 20-5. Jarrow with an excellent never say die attitude forced Chester back from the restart but never found the finishing touch and conceded their last meaningful league game of the season 20-5.
Norsemen Pipped In Thriller
Jarrow Norsemen 28 Horden III 29
The Phoenix that is the Jarrovians II team, now newly branded as the Jarrow Norsemen, almost got another win under the belt for their 2008-2009 campaign. Trailing 29-0 at half time to a rugged Horden side, a stunning comeback was denied it’s deserved conclusion by the merest of margins. Young debutant winger Jamie Harte was deemed to have just gone into touch before grounding the ball, a decision that would probably not have been given had there been the benefit of a video referee.
Sadly it was not to be for the plucky Jarrow men who finished on the wrong side of a 29-28 scoreline. But all 15 men who donned the hallowed Black and amber shirt have reason to hold their heads high following a fine effort. Captain Willie Nelson could not hide his pride at the performance. ‘I can’t hide my pride at the performance’, he said in the clubhouse after the game. ‘I imagine this is how it feels to win a Grammy!’
Jarrow took to the field in a buoyant mood. Nelson was able to call on a mixture of youth and experience to field a full XV which included the returning Rojars Vani, the Albanian 2nd row forward who is briefly back on Tyneside to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. Coupled with his erstwhile South African counterpart JJ van der Broadenhuizen, Jarrow promised a huge presence in the middle of their pack. However that buoyant mood would not last for too long as Horden’s own formidable pack started in frenzied fashion. Merely 2 minutes were on the clock when Horden opened their account with a steamrolling try. This was followed up with a further 4 scores, all of a similar nature, over the course of the next 40 mins.But if ever there was a game of two halves then this was it. A stirring halftime team talk by the skipper lit the fuse but it was a moment of supreme skill by wily old campaigner Dave Hill that ignited the powder beneath the team. A run at the heart of the Horden defence followed by a deft offload lead to fly half Bob Winn crossing the line. With the conversion added Jarrow regained the ball soon after the restart and laid seige to the line. The Berry brothers, Brian and Aiden both went close but it was the 3rd ,and most gifted, brother Kevin who finally breached the defences. Again the conversion was added and the sense that a famous victory was on the cards was very much apparent. Horden had no answer to the onslaught coming from the home side and when they did manage to get hands on the ball they met with bone crunching tackles from the back row trio of Andy Burn, Colin McKeowen and Mick Harte. This pressure was bound to tell and it was through one of these tackles under the Horden posts that the ball ran loose, falling kindly to the dynamic McKeowen to score try number 3. What turned out to be the final try of the match was also the finest. A superb flowing move which involved most of the team, some fine examples of rucking and some fast hands led to makeshift full back Scott Shorten scorching under the posts to bring Jarrow to within one score. But it was not to be and the decision that young Harte’s foot was millimetres in touch prevented not only a try scoring debut for him but also a well deserved victory for Jarrow.
25/10/08 South Tyneside College 37 Jarrovians 0
Injury ravaged Jarrow sunk by Mariners
Jarrow, bereft of key personnel and with an ever growing injury list, sent a hastily assembled team down to the seaside on Saturday to be narrowly beaten by a well drilled and youthful College side. It didn’t bode well when winger, and last weeks try scoring hero, Peter Hamill tore a hamstring in the warm up, immediately forcing a reshuffle in the backs. Michael Harte came on to partner Peter Little in the centres and sent the average age soaring. With McCoy on the wing in his mid forties and Little unlikely to see the full eighty minutes it looked as if the backs were up against it when the Mariners unveiled an energetic and sprightly backline full of callow youth and straining at the leash. Wisely the Jarrow pack, in unspoken agreement, decided to play it tight and simple. Immediately from the whistle the Jarrow forwards took the game to the College in a furious series of rucks. Captain, Gareth Roberts trundled upfield with support from Tony Tiffen and Graham Lindsley. The rucks were punishing on the College and gained precious yardage upfield starving the home sides backs of possession. It was a successful tactic which almost bore fruit when David Berry suddenly changed the script, spotting half a gap and cutting loose. The College were taken aback by the sudden change of pace and the wily fly-half made it to the try line only for the ref to deem he had been bundled into touch on the corner flag a split second before grounding the ball. Had the video ref been on hand the try would surely have been awarded. From the drop out the Jarrow pack reverted back to their trusty game plan and unleashed havoc on the Mariners. Chris Hastie picked up and ran at the heart of the College defence. Sucking in two tacklers the bearded flanker held the ball up and was drove over the try line by Bobby Whitehead. More forwards arrived and heaved Hastie groundwards in an all out assault. Agonisingly the ball was knocked out of the flankers hands a mere inch off the deck thwarting the Jarrowmen and nullifying their efforts. Despite all of the visitors magnificence the score remained zeroed until finally the College gained some useful possession. Ex Jarrowman Colin Kennedy unleashed his speedy backline on the Jarrow veterans. Tackles went in but Kennedy found ex Jarrowman Simon O’Neil with a deft mis-pass. Learning his trade at Jarrow, O’Neil is useful with ball in hand and, sure enough weaved his way over to score under the posts. Kennedy missed the conversion but the Mariners were at it again from the restart. Rightly believing the game would be won by their backs the ball was spun around with panache and once again the deadly O’Neil scored from open play. The conversion was taken this time leaving Jarrow adrift by 12-0 at half time
Immediately after the restart, Jarrow were once again forced to reshuffle the backs when Peter Little had to leave the park with blurred vision. Andy Burn was pressganged into the midfield and new boy Garth O’Toole brought on at flanker. The home side upped the pressure and began a determined assault on the Jarrow lines. Unfortunately for Jarrow their efforts were rewarded with two more finely taken tries stretching the lead further. It was backs against the wall stuff but Jarrow’s Hastie and new full back Brian the fullback did their utmost to keep the score down with bone crunching wince inducing tackling. It was heroic and inspiring but the Mariners were not to be denied and eventually broke through the brick wall to score another. The last thing Jarrow needed was another injury, but sure enough the lawmaker called Murphy paid a visit and smote down David Berry with a knee injury. McCoy went from wing to centre to fly half inside of ten minutes. Young Jamie Harte took the field and Brian Berry entered the fray. Jarrow endured a frenetic and nail biting last ten minutes but survived without any further score or injury to lose 37-0.
18/10/08 Nelson's Norsemen Victorious
Jarrovians II 10 Chester-le-street II 5
Jarrovians Norsemen were celebrating on Saturday after winning away at Chester-le street in a truly impressive performance. The game had started poorly for Jarrow when the home side scored an unconverted try inside of five minutes. The Jarrow forwards, under immense pressure from Chester, were just holding their own when the ball was recycled and whipped out to the backs. Jarrow tackling was resolute but Chester’s big centre passed out of contact to his partner who stormed through and scored under the posts. Skipper Will Nelson rallied his troops and orchestrated a sustained siege on the Chester lines. The pack, led by man of the match Matty Lindsey, began to take control and take the game to Chester, who faltered and began to lose possession at the lineout, in particular. Gary Archbold, at scrum half, gave quality ball to his backs, with accurate passing. However the ball was squandered through indecision and poor tactical nous. Switching tactics, the crafty number nine began to utilise his forwards to batter up field. Brian Shaw conspired with Tony Tiffen to release Scott Shorten into space. Building up momentum the wiry second row bounced off the the first tackler and sprinted deep into the Street half. When Shorten was finally tackled, David Berry was on hand to take the ball on and, sidestepping the last defender, he ghosted over to level the score. The try was unconverted but gave Jarrow confidence going into half time with honours even at 5-5.
Nelson, with a surfeit of players, rang the changes, and in a tactical masterstroke, rejuvenated the Jarrow backs to give Archbold more options. The plan worked like a dream and Chester were taken aback when Jarrow began to whip the ball around the park Barbarian style. New fly-half Jared Deacon utilised his, now functioning, back line with style and confidence. Big crash centre Peter Little began to menace the Chester backs and created havoc with ball in hand. However Jarrow couldn’t quite find the finishing touch and convert the pressure into points. Chester rallied and began to push Jarrow back. Encamped on the Jarrow twenty two fully ten minutes the home side began to ask serious questions of the Norsemen’s defence. The visitors, to a man, measured up and denied Street with furious and committed tackling from Neil Metcalf and young Jamie Harte. Coming through the Chester blitzkrieg unscathed Jarrow turned the tables and began to run the show. A breathtaking sidestep from fly half Deacon created space for Peter Little to rampage thirty yards up the midfield. Chris Hastie and Dave Johnston, both man-of-the-match contenders ,added their own brand of mayhem to the proceedings and gained further yardage. The move looked to have failed when Sean McKeown was tackled shy of the line. However, debutant irish winger Pete O’Toole was on hand to save the day and, scooping up the ball he handed off the despairing full back to score and give Jarrow a well earned 10-5 victory
11/10/08 First heavily defeated 68-7
04/10/08 VALIANT JARROW TROUNCED
JARROVIANS 0 SEATON CAREW 88
An under strength Jarrovians entertained a very well drilled, high flying Seaton Carew at luke's Lane on Saturday and were ruthlessly put to the sword. With key players missing in the backs Jarrow opted for a tight game keeping it in the pack and taking the visitors on up front. However Seaton Carew were adept at committing the Jarrow defence and then shipping the ball wide to their superior backs. The home side were on a damage limitation exercise anyway but then matters took a turn for the worse when fly half Craig Donald limped off injured just after half-time. Seaton Carew began to pile on the pressure and the Jarrowmen began to leak tries. Jarrow's fighting spirit and never say die attitude was commendable but in the end Seaton Carew finished up very comfortable 88-0 winners.
Jarrow's Norsemen were unable to field a side against South Tyneside College seconds.
27/09/08 Brave Jarrovians Humbled
Guisborough 47 Jarrovians 14
In the absence of several regular first teamers Jarrow travelled to Guisborough with a scratch team and put on a stunning first half show against a clearly superior side. The scoreline flattered the recently demoted home side as most of their points were rattled up in the last quarter when Jarrow were down to thirteen men, having lost veteran hooker Brian Berry to the sin-bin and centre Phil Cockburn to injury. Jarrovians tackling was outstanding in the first twenty minutes and took the wind out of Guisborough's sails. Visibly stunned by the visitors storming tackling the home side were forced into error and continually wasted scoring opportunities with fumbled ball and rushed passing. Jarrow almost opened the scoring when fly half Craig Mcdonald found a gap on his own twenty two and ghosted through. Accelerating away the flying scotchman was halted by the full back but passed out of contact to wing Michael O'daid. The slight, but breathtakingly quick winger almost made it but he too was tackled agonising inches short of the try line. Guisborough heaved a sigh of relief and launched the ball back upfield. Stealing Jarrow's dysfunctional line out ball the home side once again laid siege to the Jarrow line and eventually broke their duck with a finely taken try. Once the pressure of scoring points was relieved the home side settled into their devastating rhythm and soon notched up another two tries. Jarrow, however refused to lay down and took the game back to their hosts. Finding hitherto unmined resources the Jarrow scrum began to wrest control from their hosts. Scrum half Gary Archbold and partner McDonald began to run the show. The home side were unnerved and gave away a penalty for diving over the ruck. Quickly taken by Tony Tiffen the big prop bulldozed forward and set up another ruck on the home sides twenty two. Mark Greenwood gained more precious yardage and Archbold fired a pass out to the onrushing Graham Linsdley. The giant number eight stormed through, carrying two tacklers with him as he scored the try. Full back David Berry cooly stepped up and slotted the conversion to keep Jarrow in touch at half time 21-7.
The second half started catastrophically for the Jarrowmen when they immediately conceded a try. To make matters worse Archbold limped off with a torn hamstring and forced a reshuffle. Jarrows solitary substitute Andy Burn entered the fray in the second row, Hastie went to the wing and centre Sam Jacques stepped into the scrum-half position. The home side captitalised on the chaos and began to pile on the pressure. The game was in danger of turning into a rout but Jarrow held firm with resolute defence. However the visitors began to wilt and the scrum teetered on the brink of collapse. Sensing the opportunity Guisborough went for the jugular and forced Jarrow back and, despite the furious Jarrow tackling, scored in the corner. Unfortunately big tackling Phil Cockburn was forced to retire with a shoulder injury creating more havoc for the beleguered visitors. Down to fourteen men Jarrow regrouped for a final assault and incredibly managed to turn the tables on their hosts. Forcing Gis back with an well aimed punt upfield from McDonald the gis full-back kicked for touch. Sam Jacques, following up, leapt on the kick and charged it down. Utterly taken by surprise Guisborough faltered and Jarrow's flying flanker, Dave Johnston was on hand to dive on the ball to score. Berry again bissected the posts with a draughtsman's precision. This, however was to be Jarrow's only second half comfort as the home side began to turn the screw. Tempers began to fray and a ruck turned into an unseemly fracas. Punches flew, with Mal Frasier and Lindsley being the main culprits. However the referee decreed that Brian Berry was the villain and sent him to cool his heels under the posts. Now down to thirteen Jarrow gamely fronted up but, against opposition of this quality, it was too much to ask. The floodgates opened and Guisborough had their day in the sun, running away with it, to hammer Jarrovians 67-14
Back at Luke's Lane Jarrovians Norsemen entertained a strong Winlaton Vulcans side and were on the receiving end of a 45-0 thumping. Skipper, Will Nelson, however, was upbeat and pleased at his sides performance. “For our first game this season it was great to get fifteen lads on the park anyway. Fair enough, we were well beaten, but against a side of this calibre our heads never went down and at least we made them work hard for their victory. It's a start and if we can get fifteen players out week on week then our season can only get better”.
20/09/08 Jarrow Sin-Bin Shocker
Jarrovians 10 Hartlepool BBOB 17
Photos here: http://jarroviansrugby.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album19
Jarrow were narrowly beaten by Hartlepool BBOB at Luke’s Lane on Saturday in a 17-10 thriller. Skipper Gareth Strawberry Roberts took heart in, what he described as “700% improvement” from last weeks dire performance against Hartlepool Athletic. The game could have easily went Jarrows way but for a defensive lapse from the midfield late in the second half which brought the boys brigade back into contention. The first half had been a deadlocked affair fully thirty minutes before BBOB troubled the scoreboard with a finely kicked penalty. Jarrows rock solid defence seemingly invincible despite the close attentions of the visitors. Had BBOB found a finishing touch Jarrow might have been dead and buried by half time. Outweighed and bullied in the scrums Jarrows frailty in the set piece was, at times, alarming as the scrum creaked and teetered on the verge of collapse. It was spilled passes and knock-ons galore as BBOB wasted try scoring opportunities. Unable to gain any first phase ball the Jarrowmen soldiered on with what little crumbs of possession they could muster. Even the line out was no guarantee, which was truly a surprise with the mighty Chris Hastie soaring and dominant. Given the lack of quality ball Jarrow did remarkably well to make a decent fist of it. Cockburn and Berry in the centre were in the thick of it all the half. Tackling like demons and causing the attackers no end of concern. What little possession Jarrow had was utilised well with Andy Stanton and Graham Lindsley rampaging forwards with bullocking charges. Jarrow regained the lead on the stroke of half-time after Arrowsmith and Johnston set up the rucks, scrum-half Archbold set Parker away. The wily fly half scampered over the line carrying the would-be tackler with him to ground the ball. Unfortunately Parker had left his kicking boots at home and missed the conversion, having also missed a penalty earlier . Nonetheless the game was finely poised at the break with Jarrow ahead by the slenderist of margins at 5-3.
Jarrow commenced the second half in fine fettle and a growing belief. Given BBOB’s dominance Jarrow shunned the set-piece and ran the visitors ragged with great running open play. Utilising their front row as battering ram paid dividends as Whitehead, Arrowsmith and Roberts rampaged. Roberts made a deep incursion into the Old Boys half and set up the ruck. Archbold found parker, who unleashed his back line. Great hands from full back Metcalfe sped the ball to Andy Cooper on the left. Still with work to do the little try-meister transfixed his opposite number and defying the odds scored a try to stretch Jarrows lead to 10-3. The fat lady could just be heard faintly in the background when Jarrow displayed tactical naiveity with a reshuffle of personnel on the hour. They were to rue tinkering with the rock solid midfield when substitute McCoy, with confidence high having smashed his opposite number with his first tackle previously, rushed up to meet a growing Hartlepool threat. His confidence was misplaced though as he only got one hand on the big centre, who gleefully brushed off the weak tackle and exploited the yawning chasm of a gap his grey haired foe had left to score a try under the posts. The conversion was taken to level the score at 10-10. Jarrows heads were down and frustration rising when an ill tempered maul broke out into open warfare. The villains of the piece were deemed to be Jarrows own Winthrop and Archbold, who’s outrageous punches had left the ref no option but the sin-bin. The disgraced duo retired under the posts and watched the agonising drama unfold before them. Berry went to scrum-half and once again Jarrow’s awful scrum went backwards at an alarming rate. With the ball still at the base of the scrum the visiting scrum-half shoved Berry away and picked up the ball. Despite the howls of protest from the crowd the ref had missed the foul play and BBOB scored another try to steal victory from under the home sides noses. The fat lady was now in full voiced crescendo, wailing a painful lament to Jarrow’s missed opportunity.
Jarrow fail at first hurdle
13/09/08 Jarrovians 12 Hartlepool Athletic 37
Jarrow's league campaign kicked off in poor style when they were roundly spanked by a decidedly journeyman Hartlepool side away on Saturday. The visitors were justifiably 10-0 down at half-time having shot themselves in the foot with a laboured and dismal forty minute half. The home side had thrown everything at Jarrow and found a chink in the resolute Jarrow armoury to score a converted try after 15 minutes. Encamped in their own half the Jarrowmen had no answer to Athletics brutal and direct approach. Unenforced errors and an embarrassing penalty count were all Jarrow had to show for forty minutes sweat and toil. Predictably, the visitors found themselves a further three points adrift at half time when the penalty was awarded under the posts for a hand in the ruck.
Ten nil down and with everything to play for the Jarrowmen finally woke up and realised the game was afoot. Self belief is everything, and a few well chosen words from debutante captain Gareth Roberts stirred the blood. The forwards upped the ante and put the home side on the back foot with uncompromising and direct running from Graham Lindsay and Dave Johnston.. A scuffed kick into touch from Athletic handed Jarrow the initiative at the lineout, which was ruthlessly exploited by Whitehead and Hastie , who spat venom and drove at the heart of the Athletic defense. The ruck was formed on the twenty two and Roberts snaffled the ball and stormed over the line to score Jarrow s first points of the season. Parker converted to take Jarrow three points closer at 10-7. Hartlepool responded well and drove Jarrow back but the visitors were in the ascendancy. A promising attack from the home side was cynically and decisively turned around when Jarrow's talismanic number eight Mark Greenwood tore the ball from the attacking centres grasp. The ginger haired forward exploited a yawning gap and fed centre Nick Hepple with a deft reverse pass. Needing no second bidding Hepple pushed the pedal to the metal and scorched fully fifty metres to snatch the lead at 12-10. Hartlepool restarted and again found themselves hammered back. Jarrow were on the march and Athletic were on the receiving end of a punishing and unrelenting drive for victory. It looked as if it was all over when Arrowsmith made a bee-line for the touch down but was hammered back by stout defending The ball rolled out and Hartlepool struck back from their own try line. Jarrow's McCoy and Parker were sucker-punched by an outrageous dummy. The jubilant Athletic winger sped the full length of the pitch with Metcalfe and Cooper in hot pursuit. Despite the close attentions of the Jarrow defenders the winger touched down to regain Athletics lead. Jarrows promising resurgence was snuffed out and and the home side stole the initiative with another try inside of five minutes. Broken hearted Jarrow heads went down and Athletic overturned the form book to score a further three tries and seal an emphatic,yet flattering, 37-12 victory
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