TYNEDALE got the rugby season off to the best possible start, putting on more than 50 points against a disappointing Chester outfit.

Eight tries scored by eight different players added further illumination to a glorious late summer afternoon, as Tynedale played some scintillating running rugby.

There were lots of new faces on show as Tynedale ran out in their unfamiliar grey second strip with indecipherable numbers, as the new blue and white outfits were not available!

Among the starters was prop Diogo Ferreira, who holds the distinction of being the first Portuguese player to have played in the Premiership when he turned out with Sale Sharks last season.

The 20-year-old is now with Newcastle Falcons, where he has packed down alongside Tynedale director of rugby Scott Lawson. He was replaced after 25 minutes by Gosforth Academy prospect Ben Wilkinson, who also performed well.

There was also an impressive return on the wing for Guy Pike after a spell with Percy Park.

The new players blended seamlessly with the established players to produce a top notch performance, albeit against opposition that seemed some way off the pace required for league rugby.

The two sides have been well matched for the last two seasons, both winning two of the four encounters, and Chester finished fifth in North Division Two last term - one place and four points ahead of Tynedale.

But, on this showing, Chester have a great deal of work to do.

Fly half Ash Smith helped himself to a try and six conversions, and there were the usual polished performances from number eight Scott Powell, scrum half Matty Outson and centre Will Miller.

It was first blood to Chester as Tynedale were penalised after two minutes for not rolling away from a tackle just outside their own 22, and fly half Liam McGovern slotted the straightforward penalty.

But Tynedale came roaring back with the muscular Miller bullocking over on five minutes, and hooker Louis Frankland following him across the whitewash two minutes later. Smith converted both to give Tynedale a comfortable 14-3 lead.

McGovern pulled a penalty back on 25 minutes, before scrum half Matty Outson got Tynedale’s third on 27 minutes after some dazzling handling by the Tynedale backs.

McGovern’s third penalty made it 21-9 on 37 minutes, but flanker Joe Mills got the bonus point try for Tynedale on the stroke of half time from a neat chip through by Matty Outson.

After converting all Tynedale’s first half tries, Smith powered through for a try of his own four minutes into the second half, maintaining his 100 per cent record from the tee to make it 35-9.

Replacement Andrew Baston gave Chester a faint flicker of hope with a 64th minute try, converted by Callum Bennett, but play was soon back at the other end where good pressure resulted in a rare try for lanky lock Harry Snowdon on 72 minutes.

Athough skipper David Ford got another try for Chester late on, the visitors were clearly struggling for fitness and Tynedale were able to run in further unconverted tries by full back James Spencer, only on because original number 15 Jonny Mock injured himself in the warm-up, and replacement flanker Max Davies.