As Barnard Castle faltered at South Shields Westoe, Durham City replaced them at the top of the Durham & Northumberland 1 League table for the first time this season with this comfortable victory over bottom club Ponteland.
Although it was never a classic performance, the second-half particularly becoming scrappy, there was little doubt about the likely outcome from the start as City began brightly to move quickly into a 5 – 0 lead with good continuity play that took centre Chris Metcalfe to the corner before No.8 Peter Dent scored from the resulting ruck.
The lead was short-lived however as Ponteland, with just about the first possession they secured, hit back when centre Joe Probert raced 40 metres to score at the posts giving winger Luke Chick an easy conversion and his side a 7 – 5 advantage.
But, that score apart, it was City who were well in control and by the 17th minute they had recovered and stretched the lead to 20 – 7, stand-off Paul Armstrong kicking a penalty, winger Tom Elliott finishing off a fine City attack which created an overlap for his first try and flanker Craig Dominick breaking through the middle following a lineout to score at the posts and give Armstrong an easy conversion.
Ponteland countered with a Chick penalty, but more good attacking lay by City produced the bonus-point fourth try after 25 minutes, Dent and Dominick driving up the middle and full-back Phil Stewart breaking when they ran from a ruck to send Max Bailey, appearing from the opposite wing, over in the corner. Armstrong converted for a 27 – 10 half-time lead.
Forward pressure by the home side after the interval got its reward in the 52nd minute when flanker Rich Moller was driven over in the left corner for their second try but City quickly added two more. Elliott raced 35 metres to score after a thumping tackle by lock Howard Johnson had released the ball and then Dent got his second from close range following heavy pressure on the home line.
Armstrong converted both City tries to take the score to 41 – 15 and, at the death Elliott got his third of the day, coming off his wing to blast through the middle and two or three tackles on a 50 metre run and Armstrong again converted to seal City’s victory.
Tomorrow, City entertain Redcar at Hollow Drift (KO. 2.15pm)
CITY: Phil Stewart; Tom Elliott, Brad Pears, Chris Metcalfe, Max Bailey; Paul Armstrong ( c ), Will Paxton; Mike Hay, Mark Davison, Colin Hogg, Rhys Powell, Howard Johnson, Tom Jones, Craig Dominick, Peter Dent.
Replacements: Tim Mackay, Andy Kirkup.