Match Video

All the good that was delivered in the win against Darlington Mowden Park was left on the bus as the players arrived at the picturesque Station Road ground of Tynedale RFC. Two years ago a heroic performance at the same venue against a high flying home side resulted in a 29-31 victory.
Hopes of a repeat were very swiftly dashed. A thoroughly lacklustre performance coughed up 4 tries in the first quarter as Tynedale clocked up more than a point a minute. Home full back Cameron Grant took full advantage to engage in some goal kicking practice and didn't miss all game, finishing with a 19 point haul from 8 conversions and a penalty.
Chester were passive in defence and toothless in attack. No phase play could be generated as kick passes were overhit, movement was lateral and carries lacked any bite. To be fair the home side were very good. Accurate and direct with a bristling aggression in the loose that Chester failed to compete with. At 28-0 down, Dave Jones managed to light up the bottom half of the scoreboard with Sam Rogers adding the conversion. That flicker of light was very quickly snuffed out, and a 35-7 half-time score didn't flatter the hosts in the slightest.
Half backs Ted Fletcher and Josh Leslie enjoyed an armchair ride as the Tynedale pack exerted total dominance for the majority of the painful 80 minutes.
As in the 1st half, Chester conceded early in the second period, and again on 50 minutes. Some reaction finally showed as Tynedale were kept at bay for 25 minutes in the gathering gloom and rainfall. Dave Jones added his second score on 72 minutes, before 14-man Tynedale closed proceedings with a 10 point burst in the final minutes.