IT was too close for comfort for Alnwick as the result went right to the wire.

They snatched a win in the final two minutes when Andrew Shell out-paced the Sunderland defence to touch down under the goal-posts.

With a makeshift back line, it took them three-quarters of the match to click and in the final 20 minutes they started to extend the home defence.

Ed Shell went over for a try on the right wing and his brother raced through on the other for a late try, James Robson adding a goal and a penalty.

Sunderland surged deep into the Alnwick 22 area in the opening minutes. Crisp passing from their back row found Graham and Townsend in the centre who hammered hard into the Alnwick midfield to gain a penalty that Prior goaled to put Sunderland ahead after five minutes' play (3-0).

A poor restart drop out gave Sunderland the midfield scrum, a quick pass out from Gregson to full-back Sutherland saw play pulled back for a forward pass.

Alnwick cleared their lines through a half-break by Peter Robinson, only for Andrew Shell to spill it in contact.

Both teams exchanged penalties which broke up any pattern of play.
Sunderland ran a free-kick ball out to Tarn, whose kick through was well taken by Rob Howliston, a tap and run forward was not the best option near the tryline.

Alnwick survived, working the ball out from Stuart Gray to the backs with Howliston coming into the line to chip the ball deep into the home 22 area to gain a worthwhile line-out.

Good ball possession but a forward pass let Sunderland off the hook before a penalty attempt by Robson went just wide of the posts.

Sunderland broke back following a long restart ball by Gregson who forced play into the Alnwick 22. In the scramble for the ball, Alnwick were twice penalised for going offside but Prior's kicks went wide.

Alnwick were living dangerously but finally worked play out of the danger area back to the centre.

Sunderland won scrummage ball to sweep it cross-field out from Tarn to Graham and back to Jordan. He was held up and Sunderland won possession. Centre Townsend drilled over a drop-goal right on half-time to stretch the home lead (6-0).

In the second half, Sunderland raced into the visitors' 22. An Alnwick clearance was charged down to secure a five-metre scrum. The Alnwick defence came up too quickly and were penalised in front of their posts, with Sunderland goaling (9-0).

Alnwick won good restart ball which saw Andrew Shell put in one of his mazy runs.

He was tackled by Padgett but Alnwick's forwards drove in to secure the ball, but were halted by another dropped pass. Robson put in a good clearance to push Sunderland back to their 10 metre line.

Alnwick made two changes, David Smith replacing Rob Scott and Robert Robson on for Charlie Grahamslaw.

A quickly-taken tap-penalty saw Alnwick break through only for the move to be halted for crossing. Sunderland centre cut through but failure to release the ball after the tackle saw the home team concede a penalty. Robson's kick was sound to put points on the board (9-3).

Taking the man out on the full on the restart saw Alnwick gain a penalty line-out on the Sunderland 22. A misjudged long throw was eagerly grabbed by flanker Kennedy, and passed back inside for Gregson to clear into the Alnwick 22.

Alnwick won the Sunderland lineout ball which was switched at pace along the three-quarters – Robson to Peter Robinson to Ed Shell, whose pace up the touchline took him past the home defence to go over for a try.

If goal points were added Alnwick would have gone ahead. Robson's attempt narrowly missed but with only a point between the teams all was still to play for (9-8).

Alnwick started to move the Sunderland defence around. A break by Andrew Shell was taken on by Robert Robinson who broke through, set up the full-back only to pass forward. A line-out followed the scrum, with Sunderland desperately trying to run down the clock.

Alnwick won line-out ball and found Peter Robinson – a break looked likely but his long pass eluded Andrew Ord. Sloppy line-out play by Sunderland saw Alnwick winning a good ball.

Sunderland held out but gave away a penalty, back chat to the referee cost them 10 metres, Robsons long range attempt fell short being cleared back to the Alnwick half.

Winning good line-out ball, Robert Robinson broke away from the Sunderland defence. Drawing the cover inwards, he slipped the pass to Ed Shell to take on the last Sunderland defender. He passed to his brother Andrew, who shot away to run in the try under the posts, Robson easily adding the conversion points to put Alnwick into the lead with only two minutes of the game remaining.

This was a superbly-worked piece of play – quick possession and pace cannot be beaten (9-15).

Sunderland came back hard, spreading the ball wide but could not break through a tight Alnwick defence.

Good tackling and keeping possession at ruck and maul denied all of Sunderland's increasingly desperate attempts to get over the try-line.

The points were in the bag.

Alnwick: R Howliston, A Shell, Ed Shell, P Robinson, A Ord, J Robson, C Grahamslaw, A Johnson, H Sordy, M Milburn, J Fernback, D Oliver, Aa Armstrong, R Scott, S Gray, P Robinson, D Smith, C Blakey.