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Gateshead 42-10 Hornets

Mike Floyd
22/ 7/2008

HORNETS shared top billing at Gateshead’s Thunderdome with an antiques fair, with contrasting outcomes.

Those attending the fair were able to browse at their leisure and, no doubt, some visitors left with mementos of their visit which they will treasure for many years to come.

Hornets fans, on the other hand, witnessed a bitterly disappointing performance from their team which they will want to quickly forget. And, no doubt, the majority had by the time they rejoined the A1(M) south. Certainly there was little to cherish.

Once again the visitors were woeful on defence against a well-drilled and quick-thinking Gateshead team. They conceded three tries in the first 15 minutes and were on the backfoot from then on. When they did mount attacks they were met by a solid defensive line, effective tackling and organisation, aspects of the game in which Hornets were too often lacking.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the problem. Hornets appear to have some fine individual players, most of whom play their hearts out. But their ability to work together as a unit seems to desert them, particularly in the early stages of matches, and this has contributed to their downfall on too many occasions.

Why? I don’t have an answer, but if they are to reach the play-offs – and surprisingly they are still in with a shout – the coaching staff will need to identify the problems and sort them out sooner rather than later.

Hornets got off to the worse possible start as they conceded a try from Gateshead’s first set after just 90 seconds. On the last tackle, Dan Russell launched a kick for the right hand corner. The usually dependable Chris Campbell hesitated and Dylan Nash clutched the ball, slipped it to Graham Stephenson who dived in at the corner.

Five minutes later, a penalty again gave the hosts momentum and Neil Thorman stepped and dummied his way through the visitors’ rearguard with consummate ease.

Chris Giles finally broke out for Hornets but was unable to find the support and the chance was gone. The fullback then showed his defensive mettle as he hauled down the dangerous Ben McAlpine to prevent a certain try.

It merely postponed the inevitable and in the 13th minute Michael Watton broke through the soft centre of the Hornets defence and found Thorman on his shoulder. The Gateshead stand-off found Jason Payne who strolled through to score. Russell converted.

Hornets then enjoyed their best spell of the half and Paul Rolls almost succeeded in sending Alex Brown in at the corner but he was stopped just short.

Sam Butterworth just failed to reach Martin Ainscough’s neat grubber before it bounced dead. Rolls tried another chip over the top which Campbell tapped back inside and, once again, Ainscough was close, but not close enough.

The visitors then reverted to type and started to make daft errors deep in their own half. Gateshead didn’t need a second invitation and Thorman’s bullet pass gave Kevin Neighbour an easy run to the line. Russell tagged on the two.

Nash’s break then provided McAlpine with a well-constructed try and Russell’s conversion gave Gateshead a 26-0 lead.

Hornets rallied briefly before the break and an under-pressure Paul Alcock couldn’t hold onto the ball as he stretched for the line.

The visitors showed some improvement in the second half and posted their first try on 45 minutes.

Ainscough broke from halfway and handed on to Rolls. He was hauled down but from a quick play the ball David Cunliffe chipped the ball over the top, caught his own kick and touched down. It was a fine piece of  quick-thinking. Butterworth added the conversion.

The joy, though, was shortlived and even when Nash was sin-binned for a push on Dave Cunliffe – who showed remarkable restraint – Gateshead were still able to expose Hornets out wide, Neighbour combining with Sanderson who touched down,

Brown then showed the two sides to his game. A blistering run almost took him through for a try, before an embarrassing attempt at a grubber kick allowed Gateshead to break out. And, once again they took full advantage as Lewis McPhail, despite the attentions of three or four Hornets defenders went over for a soft try. Russell made it a six-pointer.

McPhail was again the beneficiary of some shocking defence five minutes later as he scored the home team’s eighth and final try. Russell slotted over his fifth conversion.

With six minutes to go Hornets gave their fans a taste of what might have been. They at last did the simple things right and Giles sent Brown careering through for a try.

It was too little too late, but one is left to wonder what might be possible if they could apply the same principles for the full 80 minutes.