TYNEDALE failed to take advantage of their game in hand on Saturday when they returned from Chester empty-handed.

And although they scored three tries in the second period, Tynedale were always playing catch up. However, they were unfortunate not to be taking home at least one losing bonus point.

Harry Snowdon made his first start of the season in the second row, with Jonny Cousin moving to flanker for the missing Joe Mills. 

Tynedale had one of the youngest centre pairings in the national leagues with Liam Checksfield (19) joined by ex-Tynedale Colt Cam Grant (18), who made his first start. 

Meanwhile, former Tynedale prop Ben Wilkinson, returning on a short term loan from Ampthill, came off the bench to score a try.

Tynedale who enjoyed around 70 per cent possession and territory, were solid at every scrum and competed well in the line-outs.

But they were up against a Chester defence which had conceded the fewest points in the league after 10 games.

Fly half Jake Rodgers put the visitors in front with a penalty on five minutes, after Chester were penalised for holding on in a ruck.

Sustained pressure from the home side created a three man overlap for wing forward Shay Owen to score an easy try, which was converted by centre James Robins.

Tynedale then kept Chester penned in their own 22 but couldn’t break through their defence.

On 23 minutes, a penalty for crossing was kicked into touch near the Tynedale 22 line. Scrum half Josh Morris gathered an inside pass to score. Robins again converted for a 14-3 lead.

Chester took control of the match with two converted tries in five minutes to extend their lead to 28-3.
On 41 minutes, a Chester line-out outside the Tynedale 22 was recycled at speed for Green to score.

Then Tynedale tried to run the ball from inside their 22 when centre, Van Sertima picked up a loose pass to score the bonus point try.

Another Tynedale break into the Chester 22 on 49 minutes was halted for holding on, but three penalties in quick succession against the hosts saw winger Craig Ross yellow carded for not retreating 10 metres.

The following five metre line-out was expertly mauled by the forwards for replacement prop Wilkinson to score Tynedale’s opening try on 54 minutes.

It was converted by Rodgers to make the score 28-10.
On the hour mark, Van Sertima was sin-binned for a high tackle on the Chester 22 and the hosts were briefly down to 13 men.

The resulting penalty was again kicked to the corner and the forwards rumbled over for another try through hooker David Batey. Rodgers missed the conversion.

Back to 14 men, Chester’s defence held firm and on 70 minutes, Tynedale possession was turned over and the ball was moved through numerous pairs of hands across the park before space was created for replacement scrum half Harry Craven to score their fifth try, which was unconverted.

Tynedale continued to press and from another attacking line-out on 73 minutes, some slick passing created an easy try near the posts for lock Chris Wearmouth.

On Saturday, Tynedale travel to Macclesfield, three places and 11 points behind them in the league.