EVEN a puncture on the way to the match failed to take the wind out of Tynedale’s sails as they racked up their sixth successive away victory.

The puncture resulted in the team bus being stranded for some time at the Killington Lake services on the M6 while repairs were effected, and the kick off was delayed.

The late arrival meant that Tynedale’s polished pre-match routine was disrupted, and they made a sluggish start on Preston’s plastic pitch as they found themselves 9-0 down in double quick time against the bottom club in National League Two (North).

However, normal service was resumed in the second half, when Tynedale cruised to a comfortable maximum points success to climb to the dizzy heights of seventh in the table.

Tynedale were without the influential Scott Powell, who was working, and other absentees were fly half Dan Taylor and the lanky Harry Snowdon from the line-out.

However, they welcomed Jonny Cousin back to the second row for the first time since the autumn, and there was also a happy return for back rower Joe Mills, who took on the number eight role and celebrated his return with a brace of tries.

Also back in the fray for the first time since suffering a horrendous hand injury was Rob Parker, who came on as a late replacement to score the final try.

As so often happens, Tynedale were seriously outgunned in the set scrums, again being pushed off their own ball more than once, but the whole side shone with the ball in hand, playing some delightful free flowing and enterprising rugby from all parts of the field.

Tynedale made a sloppy start, conceding a string of penalties in their own half, three of which were slotted over by Preston fly half Lewis Allen with just 12 minutes gone.

But the Tynedale machine was gradually slotting into gear, and a deadly counter attack which started in their own 22 ended with Mills going over for a try, converted by Ash Smith, to make it 9-7 with 16 minutes on the clock.

Tynedale were still leaking penalties like their bus tyre leaked air, and Allen landed another penalty to make it 12-7 , before Hoppers extended their lead further.

Two Tynedale defenders were outpaced by winger Niall Crosley on his way over in the corner, after good build up work from Alex Taylorson, to give the Hoppers a 17-7 lead.

Tynedale came roaring back though, with Mills barging through some weak Preston tackling to touch down from a scrum on the Preston 22.

Smith’s conversion attempt hit the post, but the gap was down to five points at the half time whistle.

Tynedale started the second half well, Smith slotting a penalty just three minutes in, before exciting full back Jamie Spencer carved through the opposition to release Oli Walker for a converted try which put Tynedale ahead for the first time with 48 minutes gone.

Prop Peter Southern, who had come off the bench to steady the scrum in the first half, played a key role in the next try, taking the ball at the rear of a line-out to launch a move which ended with flanker and man of the match Max Davies touching down for another converted try to make it 29-17 to Tynedale.

A scramble on the right wing led to Parker touching down for an unconverted try in the dying minutes to seal an impressive win.

Otley, currently 10th in the table on 48 points, are the visitors to Corbridge on Saturday, when Tynedale will be seeking revenge for the 39-21 defeat in the reverse fixture in October.