They conceded multiple penalties which gave home club Stockton outside-half Good some excellent kicking practice, thumping over five penalties and a conversion to ease Stockton to their win.

Again and again, failure to observe the basics cost Alnwick dear.

Either by conceding hard-won ground or committing errors in clearing up the ball when Stockton were attacking in the Alnwick half.

Alnwick attacked from the start, forcing their way into the Stockton 22. An angled kick from James Robson saw Alnwick win good line-out ball, which was swept across the three-quarters' line.

Alnwick conceded a penalty, but the kick failed to make touch and was brought back into midfield by Stuart Archer who linked up with Rob Howliston.

Alnwick won scrum ball back. Rob Ord broke up the blind side to link with Ed Shell who was forced out of play. Following scrappy line-out play, Stockton came through offside to give Robson a straight-forward penalty to put Alnwick ahead (0-3).

Alnwick continued to press but attempts of long miss-pass balls went wrong and the loose ball was kicked through deep into the Alnwick half.
Stockton won good quality scrum ball out to McLaren who made ground down thewing. The ball was brought back to Stockton outside-half Good, who bounced off three would-be tacklers to take play into the Alnwick 22. A surging drive by the forwards finally saw Wayne Brown batter his way over for an unconverted try (5-3).

Alnwick drove back but good ball from a line-out was squandered when another long miss-pass went begging – the ball was kicked through with the Stockton forwards in full cry.

Alnwick retreated to gather up the ball, but were caught offside at a maul for Stockton go further ahead when Good slotted over the penalty (8-3).

Alnwick stormed back following up an Andrew Shell kick. The ball went across the three-quarters and Michael Black nearly slipped through only to be brought down.

Stockton won the ruck ball back. The scrum-half was penalised for not releasing after the tackle and, from the resulting penalty line-out, Ord broke away with support from Darren Oliver and Aaron Armstrong. The final pass went wide and into touch.

Alnwick won the ball back for Robson to angle his kick across the field and into the home try-line area, Stockton's cover defence just keeping Alnwick out as the opening half finished (8-13).

Stockton used the blustery wind to pin Alnwick back in the opening minutes of the second half – two penalties drove Alnwick back then Good hoisted a high ball out to Ed Shell, who took a fine catch before coming under heavy tackling.

Again Alnwick regrouped but were penalised for coming through offside, Good extending the Stockton lead from a penalty (11-3).

Alnwick repulsed a wave of Stockton attacks, finally breaking back into the home half through a penalty clearance. The line-out play was shocking, the ball being flapped back to put Ord under pressure.

Alnwick again were penalised after Rob Jamieson had broken back into midfield – players coming into a maul from the wrong side were the culprits.

Good notched the penalty, adding to this with another a few minutes later (17-3).

Alnwick brought on Peter Brown replacing Armstrong.

Stockton kept up the pressure with scrum-half Owen using the wind to chip high balls to keep Alnwick constantly on the defensive.

One such was marked by Andrew Shell inside his 22 area, but a tap and pass out ending in disaster – the ball was lost. Stockon piled in, with Alnwick playing the price for sloppy defensive work – another penalty, another goal from Good (20-3).

Right on time, Stockton finally got their reward, moving the ball wide, after Alnwick had made a hash of retaining the ball.

From a scrum, winger McLaren made it to the try-line at the flag. Good rounded off his day with an excellent conversion.

Team: R Howliston, A Shell, M Black, R Jamieson, Ed Shell, J Robson, Rob Ord, A Johnson, G Hodgson, M Milburn, D Oliver, J Burgess, Aa Armstrong, R Scott, S Archer, P Brown, H Sordy.