End of a long, hard season sees a final last minute loss.

Last play deep into added-on time finishes off!

The last game of the season saw visitors, Bishop Auckland, making their first time at Broadway West. The weather was just like January with a strong, chilling breeze blowing down the pitch. Gosforth had the first use of the breeze against a team just below us in D&N2. Bishop got off to an iffy start, with one of their lads being yellow carded for a high, dangerous tackle on Dan Tucker on five minutes. The mighty boot of Mat Struthers punished them for this with a 50 metre penalty, giving Gos an early three point lead. There then followed a good spell of inter-passing, which ended with Mat powering over in the corner for an unconverted try giving an eight point lead. This was to increase to eleven on 20 minutes with another long range penalty again by Struthers from just inside his own half. Bishop were to reduce this on 35 minutes, when their centre, Matt Mitchell, ran strongly through several attempted tackle to score by the posts for a Tim Tombling converted try (11-7). This reverse seemed to stir Gos, who came back strongly for Owen Ramsey to force his way over the try-line in the left corner. Fly-half, Mark Anderson, judged his difficult conversion attempt to perfection, giving Gos an 18-7 lead going into half-time. Was that going to be enough into the wind?
Bishop Auckland set out to answer that question and after eight minutes their powerful centre, Rex Nareki, scored by the posts, but the conversion was missed (18-12). In the next ten minutes two Tombling penalties were to bring the score level at 18 all. Against the breeze Gosforth again struck back by producing some good handling, resulting in Dom Manfredi scoring halfway out. Mark Anderson's attempted conversion struck the near upright and stayed out (23-18) with twenty minutes to go. It was on 77 minutes that Bishop's Simon Callan crossed again from close-in to bring the scores level again. Two minutes later a penalty awarded to Gos was converted by Ando to give Gos a narrow three point lead with time nearly up. However there was still a sting in the Bishop tail, following several injury delays and it was in the ninth minute of added time that centre, Nareki, crashed over wide out. An excellent Tombling conversion by on the final whistle gave the visitors a 26-30 bonus point win, bringing them within one league point behind us at the end of the season. Despite the disappointing end to the season Gosforth finished seventh in the League. We'll be hoping for an improved performance next season with a more consistent commitment!! enjoy your Summer.
,