Newton Aycliffe 80, Seaham 7
This has been a very sad week for Newton Aycliffe RUFC with the really sad loss of Ainsley Adams, son of ex club secretary Sue and ex player Charlie.
At the tragically young age of 27 Ainsley passed away at James Cook Hospital surrounded by his close family.
The players of Seaham and Newton Aycliffe together with club officials and a large crowd paid a fitting tribute to one so young in the traditional one minute silence.
Club captain Warren Parsonage issued a challenge to his players by announcing that this game was to be dedicated in Ainsley’s memory.
The new found strength this season of Newton Aycliffe RUFC was put to the test with the unavailability of at least eight regular first team players.
Saying that, on paper the team still looked extremely strong. Captain Andrew Littlefair was unavailable through injury the responsibility of leadership went to Luke Tinkler. Aycliffe’s front three dominated the scrummage from the very first to the last, an excellent performance through out the game from Adam Batley Jamie Whelan and veteran Mark Affleck.
Aycliffe’s forwards played really well Neil Morgan dominated the line out creating great ball for Gareth Parsonage and his backs to run at every opportunity.
Seven tries were scored in the first half with both James Thacker and Luke Crossen each getting a brace. Jonny Griffiths Craig Holmes and Warren Parsonage each scored tries. And Captain for the day Luke Tinkler converted three.
Half time 41 – 0
The half time talk from head coach Peter Ryans was short and sweet keep playing controlled rugby maintain, discipline and don’t force passes.
Ben Walton starting at scrum half mysteriously injured his Achilles tendon during the break, veteran Ronnie Gilyeat entered the affray and warren Parsonage took over at 9. From the kick off Seaham fought their way back into the game.
Their big forwards put their bodies on the line to win ball after ball driving deeper into Aycliffe territory time and time again Aycliffe’s defence held them out with some manful tackling from Jeff Hodgson and Matty Wiper.
After ten solid minutes of aggressive rugby most of which time was spent camped on Aycliffe’s line Seaham final crashed over to score and a fantastic kick saw Seaham’s point tally at 7.
The resulting kick off saw Aycliffe regain the upper hand and to be fair Seaham despite their best efforts never really looked like getting anything else out of the game.
Tries again began to flow Luke Crossen scored a further three tries to take his tally to five for the game. James Thacker scored another brace for four tries on the day.
Andrew Parkin scored a try and Matty Wiper ran sixty yards sell more dummies than Boots the chemists to score a cracking try in the corner. Luke Tinkler converted twice to give a final score of 80–7.
NARUFC first XV produced a fine performance against a hard working Seaham side. Aycliffe’s forwards play today was strong and disciplined and was a great platform for the backs to create opportunities to score tries (fourteen in total).Next weeks’ fixture see the firsts travelling to second in the table South Shields which is expected to be a hard fought match.
Today’s game was a fitting performance from Rugby Club to remember Ainsley Adams by. As the game finished Aycliffe players gathered around for a photo to celebrate supporter Morgan Austin’s sixteenth birthday. Today Newton Aycliffe RUFC celebrated both life and death as only a proper family can.
R.I.P. Ainsley Ward Adams 24-11-1988 – 18-02-2016