After a recent heavy defeat to Medicals Serpents, a rejuvenated Tynedale Centurions got the better of their Newcastle-based rivals in the return fixture at Corbridge.

They won 36-27 at Tynedale Park, after falling behind early in the game when the visitors’ speedy backline broke through the Centurions defence to score an unconverted try.

The Tynedale forwards began to dominate the contest up front, and a big drive in the scrum led by the front row of Ed Weir, man of the match Brogan Millar, and Lewis Spark, produced a good ball and number eight Toby Clifford forced his way over the line. Adam Todhunter converted to give Tynedale the lead on 20 mins.

The student side went back into the lead five minutes later when they scored a try, but failed to convert.

The Centurions were still dominant in the forward battle and a good spell of play from James Sample, George Hendry and Josh Turnbull led to Ed Weir scoring from a forward drive over the line, the promising young prop getting the touchdown to put Tynedale in front. Todhunter added the conversion.

With five minutes left in the half, scrum half James Bell moved the ball to the right from a ruck, and Mark Smales and Sam Harrison moved the ball out to allow winger Ryan Laverty to race over the line to stretch the home side’s lead.

In the final moments of the half, Ollie Hillary finished off a spell of Tynedale dominance with a try, cutting through the Medicals defence with a strong run, Todhunter converted to give Tynedale a 26 - 10 advantage at the break.

The Centurions pressed the Medicals line and, with good play from Rob Earnshaw, Ethan McCloud and Callum Snowdon, Tynedale went further ahead with the impressive Todhunter slotting a penalty awarded for an infringement in the ruck.

A strong run from Spark led to the big tight head scoring the final Tynedale try, with Todhunter adding the extras.

The final 15 minutes were dominated by the young student side and despite good defensive work by Jake Sloan, Martin Hutton and Andy Purvis, the game hung in the balance until the end with Medicals scoring three well worked scores, and one conversion.

The Centurions had to defend well to deny a threatening visiting side from securing a late comeback.