Aycliffe first XV hosted Chester-Le-Street this weekend, and with many of CLS’s first team players back available compared to the previous encounter in the leagues it promised to be a good day of rugby.

Aycliffe started fast, working hard to contain and in return, puncture CLS’s large pack time and time again. Morgan’s usual excellent work at the line out kept securing clean ball for Aycliffe, and with a fantastic dummy Skipper Lineton opened the scoring with 12 minutes played – securing the conversion as well to give Aycliffe a 7 point lead.

2 Minutes later Morgan was again instrumental with a great break, sliding the ball left to Thacker who released Walton for a comfortable run in, Alex again keeping up his recent kicking form.

Gareth Parsonage decided he wanted a piece of the action, and after a 40 yard break was brought down achingly close to the try line after a great fend on his opposite number, but fantastic support play and vision made a simple pop to Gasgoine to drop over the line unopposed.

The next 20 minutes were quiet, with both teams battling for supremacy around the centre of the park. CLS’s forwards offered a big physical challenge to the Aycliffe pack, but their persistence was rewarded with minutes to go as Thacker broke loose, nobody looked like catching the speedster.

HT: 26-0

Aycliffe had secured the bonus point win so long as they could see the game through, and tightened things up other than a momentary lapse of concentration that saw CLS convert a penalty kick.

The game was uneventful, with both teams playing with 14 through either a yellow card and injury respectfully. The fans needed something to lift the sprits and it came in the form of a fantastic run from the blind side by Vice Captain Littlefair, passing to Chris Richards who used his experience to hold his line and perfectly time a ball to youngster Ryans who ran the ball in for his second in as many games, congratulations to Aidan.

Whether this lifted the players spirits, or dampened the CLS players spirit or potentially both, the floodgates opened and Thacker (75) and McGuigan (77) pounced, the latter running in a near full length try to finish the day at 43-3.

The score line may hide what was a much improved performance from CLS, particularly as they only managed to bring 16 on the day. Aycliffe again however looked a class apart, and have their eyes firmly set on Seghill away this weekend, weather permitting.

#AycliffeFamily