STOCKTON 12 DURHAM CITY 54

......with this comfortable win over Stockton scoring 9 tries and topping the 50 point mark for the second successive week in a fine performance.

For player-coach Mark Bedworth in the centre, it was a personal triumph as he helped himself to 5 tries once stubborn resistance by the home side had been broken, Scrum-half Paul Armstrong got them under way with a penalty before winger Chris Metcalfe beat two defenders on the outside for their first try after 22 minutes.

Bedworth’s first quickly followed as he strolled over from a miss move for Armstrong to convert and establish a 15 - 0 lead , but Stockton replied with a try by flanker Anthony Parkinson supporting a 40 metre run by winger Dan Phinn from a quickly-taken lineout on half-way which stand-off Jeremy Good converted.

But Bedworth struck twice more before the interval, firstly following a great run by flanker Joe Maw and then from a quickly-won ruck for Armstrong to convert and establish a 27 – 7 lead.

Within 5 minutes of the re-start, they had extended it to 37 – 7, Maw breaking off the back of a huge driving maul to race 35 metres to score and then Bedworth finishing off a brilliant, sustained attack from theit own half which seemed to involve virtually every City player.

A charged-down kick allowed replacement Steven Tampin to get Stockton’s second try but City weren’t finished, Bedworth nipping over for his fifth from a penalty near the home line, centre Arnie Stevenson supporting another fine Maw run to score from 25 metres for Armstrong to convert and finally, full-back Rob Smith scoring wide out after another good attack.

City’s next league match is not until 3rd January away to Sunderland, but as ever, their internal social game will take place at Hollow drift on Boxing Day.

CITY: Rob Smith; Chris Metcalfe, Arnie Stevenson, Mark Bedworth, Nick Howe; Tom Hodgson, Paul Armstrong (c): Colin Hogg, Mike Hay, Benny Parkinson, Kyle Armstrong, Liam Armstrong. Richard Knowles, Joe Maw, Peter Dent.

Replacements: Kenny Reader, Will Paxton, Howard Johnson.