WITH an outstanding all-round team performance, Prudhoe and Stocksfield stunned third placed Wallsend.

While the visitors defeated Prudhoe by more than 40 points in the reverse fixture, the galvanised hosts continued to turn in good performances as they edged ahead of their high flying guests.

It looked like they were going to let a 14 point lead slip as they were pegged back, but Prudhoe rallied and a successful penalty from Steven Henderson 10 minutes from time proved a match winning kick.

Wallsend came out firing and applied huge amounts of pressure in the opening 10 minutes, their big forwards threatening to break through only to be kept out by some determined defending, and unforced errors.

With their first real foray downfield, Prudhoe took the lead as their forwards forced their way over the line for Will Foster to dive over the line, with Henderson sending over his kick.

Wallsend seemed shocked, but there was a blow for the home side when scrum half Chris Patterson left the field after an awkward fall. Dan Whiley, himself returning from an injured shoulder, moved from 15 to nine.

The visitors tried to come back and continued to push forward, but they couldn’t make much progress as the pace of the home side’s defence line, particularly that of Luke Masters, kept them out.

Prudhoe were to extend their lead with five minutes of the first half remaining when a kick and chase saw them gain a line-out five metres out.

Ryan Chamberlain threw the ball in and he followed up in time to carry the ball over the line for his side’s second try, Henderson again spot on with his conversion to take the score to 14-0.

However, Wallsend halved the deficit with the final action of the half as they scrambled over for a converted try of their own from the kick off.

The visitors were back on level terms immediately after the restart, although their second try was a hotly disputed one.

The home team claimed they could clearly see a Wallsend hand push the ball out of a 15 metre scrum. But it was on the blind side of the referee, and the visitors picked the ball up and took it over the line for 14-14.

Feeling aggrieved, P&S tackled, rucked and kicked for their lives.

For the most part, it wasn’t a game of flowing, open rugby, but the hosts’ team spirit and support for one another saw them knock on the door.

And the deciding moment came with 10 minutes to go when they were awarded a penalty 20 metres out, Henderson’s left boot sending over the kick to earn his side four points.

After a slow start, recent performances, particularly this one, suggest that P&S have the ability to challenge the teams at the top.