Round 7 Hemel Stags vs Gateshead Storm:
Gateshead Storm 30-18 Hemel Stags
Hemel Stags paid the price for going down to 12 men at Gateshead on Saturday. After going behind in the first minute. Strom were first to post points when Liam Andrews crossed in the first minute. Hemel were quick to respond when Andy Curtain supported a break by BJ Swindells down the right to step on the inside under the posts. Swindells converted to put the Stags ahead.
Hemel then furthered their lead on 6 mins when Neil Emmerson was penalized for a flop which allowed the ever dependable Swindells to kick a penalty from 30m.
Gateshead then took the lead when Gavin Houston offloaded to Michael Watton, who then moved the ball from Right to Left for Graham Stephenson to score in the corner. Player-Coach Coutts adding the extras with a touchline conversion. Watton then scored with a fine solo effort on the quarter mark after he stepped through a gap then with a strong hand off he outpaced the Hemel defence to go over in the corner. Coutts failed with the extras.
Hemel then responded with another penalty from Swindells after the ball was ripped out of the tackle to see Gateshead hold the advantage at the half, going in 14-10 up.
The Stags were first to score in the second half when the Gateshead defence stopped which allowed Stand-Off Kane Phillips to make a break and then after Stags kept the ball alive, Marcus Rose crashed over from close range. Swindells failed to add the extras to leave the scores tied. They then took the lead with another score soon after through their Man of the Match Caine Wynyard who hit a gap down the left and then managed to break free of two tackles to score. Swindells failed with the conversion from out wide.
On the hour mark, Hemel broke down the left through Wynyard who looked favorite to go over in the corner, before fullback Liam Andrews pulled off a brilliant try-saving tackle to force the back rower into touch. Wynyard clearly felt hard done by and in expressing this, saw yellow and spent 10 minutes in the sin bin. That was the turning point in the game Gateshead made the most of their man advantage and tied the scores with a close range score from Netani s**a after Dave Vernon managed to break free from a tackle to pop up to the second rower to crash under the posts. John Coutts’ conversion putting the Gateshead Storm ahead.
Watton then got his second of the game with another individual effort, again his sidestep giving him space to show a great turn of pace to score in the corner.
The home side then put the game beyond doubt when with 4 mins to go, Robert Roxborough picked off a long pass from Phillips and made a break before passing back inside to Gavin Houston pace sent him racing clear of the chasing Stags. John Coutts conversion settling the score at 30-18 to Gateshead Storm
Tries: Curtain (3), Rose (53), Wynyard (57)
Goals: Swindells 3/5
Hemel Man of the Match: Caine Wynyard
Hemels Payers Player Award: