TYNEDALE warmed up for the new season in style with a 26-19 win away to Blaydon.

The victory on the new artificial surface at the Crow Trees ground was wrapped up the Corbridge-based club’s reduced pre-season campaign. It followed the cancellation of the previous week’s home friendly against Billingham.

After a slow start at Blaydon, there were many positives for director of rugby Ben Woods to take from the game, with tries for Ben Bell, Ben Haigh, and Ethan Clark, as well as a Jake Rodgers conversion among the highlights.

The hosts started brightly, and quickly turned over Tynedale’s ball, before scoring in the left corner.

But Tyne gradually played their way into the game, and levelled proceedings after nine minutes, when Bell crashed over following a line-out catch and drive. Despite losing skipper Matty Outson to the sin bin, the visitors began to assert themselves and took a 12-5 lead after the Blaydon scrum had disintegrated on their own line.

Half time arrived with Tyne maintaining their narrow lead in what had generally been an untidy half, with both sides making numerous handling errors.

Tynedale kicked off the second half with renewed determination and quickly penned Blaydon back in their own 22. Following a period of intense forward pressure, Haigh crossed from close in to score. Rodgers converted to extend the lead.

The pattern of play continued with Blaydon unable to get out of their own half, and conceded several penalties, and it led to a try for Clark.

The flow of the game changed during the last 10 minutes. The lively, pacy Blaydon side piled on the pressure, and scored two late converted tries. But Tyne held on to win by seven points.