Blaydon 31- 6 Cambridge (HT 17-3)

You can learn a lot from an early-season trip to the North East in the pouring rain. Bob Crooks was happier with this Blood & Sand performance than that of the previous week at home to Sedgely Park, and rightly suggested that there were more apparent layers to Cambridge’s game than had previously been the case.

It certainly wasn’t a day for champagne running rugby, though Blaydon put together a few more cohesive patterns of play than Crooks’ young charges, but Cambridge showed enough tactical nous to suggest a big win isn’t far away.

Four tries against the Tigers, but none scored at Crow Trees – a Blood & Sand blank for the first time (almost!) in living memory ordinarily might give cause for concern.

But Toby Berridge, Jaco du Toit and dual-registered Saints winger Anders Mogensen made some headway, and on a dry pitch, on reflection, might have had more luck.

Darren Fox’s pack competed, the front row took a giant step forward with Mike Cade and Tom Fidler holding their own against the illustrious Micky Ward and Rob Kalbraier, and a cameo appearance from Saints lock Tom Hicks all hold hope for the next few weeks.

Blaydon disrupted the flow of ball to Danny Hunter, aided and abetted by weather-induced handling errors, and were value for their win.

Frazor Wilson managed to keep his balance and keep the ball in hand to ground it for Blaydon’s first. Flanker Jason Smithson managed, just, to ground the ball after smart work from Gavin Painter and Chris Wearmouth, and Painter’s ballooning drop goal found its way over the bar from distance to send the hosts in at 17-3.

Tom Wheatcroft’s penalty had been straightforward, in front of the posts, after Blaydon’s defence denied Cambridge a try following Du Toit’s run.

Wheatcroft reduced the arrears with another 3-pointer soon after the break, but further scores from Rob Bell and Simon Barber, and a four-from-four contribution by the redoubtable Andy Baggett from his conversion attempts made the game more than safe.

Sam Dimmick and Wheatcroft kicked well and intelligently from hand in pressure situations and to probe the home defence, and the weekend, as a bonding excercise alone for this new team, will do far more good than harm.

London Scottish lost their first three games of last season whilst bedding in new players and tactics – there is much more, and much better, to come from Bob Crooks’ team.

Referee John Brennan

Cambridge Star Man – Gareth McComb

Scorers

Blaydon

Tries - Wilson 7, Smithson 28, Bell 50, Barber 60

Conversions -Baggett 7, 28, 50, 60

Drop goal - Painter 40

Cambridge

Penalties - Wheatcroft 20, 46

Teams

Blaydon:

Painter, Berber, Inceldori, Baggett, Wilson, Rowark, Crosbie; Kalbraier, Hall, Ward, Wearmouth, Townson, Smithson, Bell, Jones

Replacements: Young, Foster, English, Sheldon, Watchorn

Cambridge:

Crozier, Morgenson, Berridge, Whetacroft, Du Toit, Dimmick, Hunter D; Fidler, Hunter B, Cade, Ascroft-Leigh, Jenkins, Edison, Fox, McComb

Replacements: Taylor, Cooper, Hicks, Watson, Portsmouth

Steve Jackson - BBC RADIO CAMBRIDGESHIRE & THE RUGBY PAPER