A snow-covered pitch and falling snow throughout turned it into a bit of a lottery, but City deserved their victory and, importantly, opened up a 5 point lead over the visitors at the head of the Durham and Northumberland 1 League.

Their success was founded on first-half determination to succeed and they raced into a 23 – 0 lead by the half-hour mark. After Middlesbrough stand-off Sam Goudie had pushed a penalty chance wide, scrum-half Paul Armstrong put City ahead with his first attempt and they quickly followed it up when the ball was kicked ahead, recovered and run left for centre Bradley Pears to score the first try.

Armstrong converted, added a second penalty and when they ran another one from deep in their own half deep into the Middlesbrough 22 and robbed them of the ball at a ruck, centre Craig Dominick scored in the corner.

Two minutes later, a wide kick by Armstrong allowed winger Sam Heron to gather and score a third try which took the lead to 23 – 0 and left the visitors looking shell-shocked.

To their credit however they re-grouped, and in the closing minutes of the half laid siege to the City line without success until Goudie kicked a penalty to end the first period.

Their new-found resolve was undiminished after the interval, and whilst City’s kicking was better, they were forced to defend for long periods as a string of penalties went against them and at differing times they were reduced to 14 men, flanker Jeff Roberts and No.8 Peter Dent being yellow-carded.

Middlesbrough’s reward came 10 minutes into the second-half from a catch and driven lineout, No 8 Iain Bradshaw scoring, and they followed it up with a second try when they took a scrum against the head near the City line and opened for replacement centre Michael Thornburn to score and reduce the deficit to 23 – 13.

But with City re-asserting themselves and pressuring the visitors’ line in the last 10 minutes, a successful comeback never really seemed likely and to the home side went the spoils.

Tomorrow, City entertain Hartlepool Rovers at Hollow Drift (KO: 2.15pm)

CITY: Phil Stewart; Will Paxton, Bradley Pears, Craig Dominick, Sam Heron; Arnie Stevenson, Paul Armstrong (c); Mike Hay, Kenny Reader, Tim Mackay, Howard Johnson, Tom Wilkinson, Paddy Dias, Jeff Roberts, Peter Dent.

Replacements: Adam Huitson, David Atkinson, Tom Baty.