THE golden boot of Rob Parker earned Tynedale a maximum points win on Saturday against old rivals Stourbridge

In a blood and thunder contest, both sides scored four tries, but it was Tynedale who took five points as fly half Parker enjoyed a 100 per cent success rate from the tee, with three conversions and four penalties.

The victory saw Tynedale climb to ninth in National League Division Two North on 41 points, with a game in hand.

The two sides were very well matched. The boys from the Black Country included two ex-Tynedale men in winger Dan Rundle, and flanker Nick Cairns. Both did their best to spoil Tynedale’s day, with Rundle setting up one try, and Cairns scoring another.

But Tynedale were not to be denied, due in no small part to some magnificent defending early in the second half, when Stourbridge were camped on the Tynedale line for many minutes, but were thwarted by some thunderous tackling.

Tynedale scored straight from the kick off when they gathered the ball on the edge of the 22m line, and mauled it remorselessly over the line, with flanker Joe Richards getting the touchdown.

Parker converted with aplomb, but the lead was short lived. On six minutes, Stourbridge kicked a penalty to touch 10 metres out, and from the line-out set up a series of pick and goes that brought a try for prop Stefan Thorp, converted by fly half Chris Scott.

Tynedale eased ahead on 19 minutes with a simple penalty in front of the posts for Parker, before a Stour knock-on in their own 22 was gobbled up by the hosts, and centre Jonny Burden showed a fine turn of pace to score Tynedale’s second try, improved by Parker for 17-7 with 31 minutes gone.

Stour responded when Dan Rundle gathered the ball on halfway, before setting off on a brilliant curving run across the field, and providing a pass for full-back Mark Harrison to score a fine try, which was converted by Scott for 17-14.

A high tackle allowed Parker to make it 20-14 from the tee at the break, and Tynedale stretched further ahead at the start of the second half, with two tries in the space of five minutes.

The first came from the excellent Guy Pike, who seized the ball when a Stour clearance failed to find touch, and ghosted through several failed tackles to reach the line. Burden sent over the simple conversion to make it 27-14.

Minutes later, lock Chris Wearmouth battered his way over after fine work from the Tyne forwards, with Parker adding the extras for 34-14.

Stour rallied well, and exerted tremendous pressure on Tynedale for a lengthy spell but superb defending kept them out. Even when lock Graeme Dunn was sin binned on 53 minutes, Tynedale continued to hold out, until centre Hal Riley eventually got over on 61 minutes for 34-19.

Parker drilled over his third penalty on 72 minutes, but Stourbridge clinched a deserved bonus point on 77 minutes when a rolling maul brought an unconverted try for Cairns.

There was still time for Parker to land his fourth penalty deep into injury time.

Brian Tilley