IGNORING shouts to kick for touch to force a close range line-out, Ash Smith’s successful penalty made it five wins away from home on the bounce for Tynedale.

Trailing sixth-placed Chester by two points with just seconds to go, a big decision needed to be made when Tyne were awarded a penalty on the edge of the home 22.

The choice to go for goal proved a big one, Smith’s kick bisecting the posts to nudge his side ahead right at the death to boost the Corbridge side’s hopes of breaking into the top six of National League Two (North) and make it five wins on the bounce, Tynedale’s best run since notching up six in a row nine years ago.

Even a muddy and sticky pitch failed to prevent Tynedale from registering their fifth successive away win in the Cheshire stockbroker belt. the conditions ensuring it was never a classic and a close-run affair – as have been most of Tynedale’s unprecedented run of away win after a decade in the wilderness.

However, club president Mike Fieldhouse is delighted with the way Tynedale have performed this season. He said: “It was a very courageous performance from a team that both enjoy working for each other and playing together. We had a forward pack who competed well and a line out that produced consistent ball , which has been the basis of our success.

“Once again a defensive set just before half time, as happened the previous week, typified the belief in each other and the system practised so hard on the training ground.

“It was a great win.”

Tynedale welcomed back winger Oli Walker and hooker Jamie Blamire, who both missed the win over Sedgley Park, but there was no Matty Charters nor Stu Johnson, with Tom McCullough and Max Davies coming into the back row

Tynedale made the better start, dominating both possession and territory, and Chester were forced to concede a number of penalties. Full back Ash Smith missed his first pot at goal, but landed the second to give Tynedale the lead with 11 minutes gone.

Soon though, Chester started to use their bigger pack more effectively to apply pressure to the Tynedale defence.

Resolute defence kept them them at bay for a while, but on 32 minutes , a series of pick and drives in the muddiest corner of the pitch brought a try for Chester skipper Guy Ford, with fly half Callum Bennett adding the conversion.

Chester were soon turning the screw again, putting heavy pressure on the Tynedale line with a series of penalty scrums. A penalty try seemed inevitable as Tynedale infringed repeatedly, but somehow they held out to leave the score at 7-3 at the break. Tynedale tried to run the ball in the second half, but were let down by some sloppy handling, and Chester’s pounding forwards posed a major threat before being denied by powerful Tynedale tackling.

Tynedale weathered the storm, and on the hour, turned defence into attack when forwards and backs combined to breakaway from their own 22. Some neat footballing skills by replacement hooker Louis Frankland kept the ball in play when it seemed sure to roll into touch, and there was winger Walker picking up to break through two tackles and score a fine try in the corner.

Smith was unable to convert, but Tynedale were ahead at 8-7.

Chester were swift to respond, their forwards forcing Tynedale to concede a penalty on 66 minutes which was converted by Bennett to leave Tynedale trailing by two points. Back came Tynedale, with another pitch length move down the right, but they were foiled by a tackle on the edge of the Chester 22.

And it was over to ice cool Smith to send over the deciding three points for another welcome win on the road.

Caldy are the visitors to Tynedale Park tomorrow, and the league leaders from the Wirral will not be relishing taking on a Tynedale side which have won seven of their last nine games.

The game will kick off at 2pm.

Meanwhile, the game at Wharfedale, postponed last month because of snow, has been rescheduled for February 25.