Morpeth beat Stockton in last home game of the season

Yet this wasn’t a classic, more a stuttering, disjointed display where the home side failed to ignite, but always carried the greater threat against a spirited Stockton outfit, running out winners 26-0.

Most of the early play was centred between the two 10-metre lines, with neither side dominating. The game was brought to some sort of life when, on 10 minutes, centre Callum Burgess made a stunning break. It eventually forced a penalty which the same player surprisingly pushed wide.

Eventually on 25 minutes, the home side found the missing spark. For the first time they were able generate quick ball. Winger James Turner took a good line, picked the right option, before stepping the Stockton full back and touching down. Burgess kicked an excellent conversion.

Morpeth failed to kick on and the game was littered with errors. It was rare individual efforts that took the eye.

On 37 minutes, fly half Ben Hornby made a super break on halfway. A kick and chase was the option and Stockton did really well to prevent a score.

The visitors then won a penalty, with Morpeth, again, marched back for talking back to the referee.

The second half saw much of the same. Stockton missing a penalty on 50 minutes before the home side began to run through some decent phases.

On 57 minutes some strong driving runs by second row Ben Jackson, ably supported by the ever reliable Ian Burnham, gave flanker Alex Thompson the opportunity to blast over. Burgess added the conversion.

On 67 minutes Morpeth effectively put the game to bed when, from an excellent attacking scrum, Stockton conceded a penalty which was taken quickly. A ruck on the Stockton line ensued and the powerful Thompson again made the score.

The game ended with another Morpeth score, which also secured a bonus point.

Another quickly taken penalty, played by the alert Jack Elliott, saw another Thompson run, before the ball was recycled for Elliott again to bury over. Burgess made the conversion.