WHILE the craftsman scored two tries, his apprentice showed he is progressing nicely as Newcastle Falcons pulled well clear at the top of their group in the British and Irish Cup.
Jimmy Gopperth played at full back to allow 20-year-old Joel Hodgson a run at fly half and the youngster was also entrusted with the kicking duties at Newport.
Hodgson’s skills played a big part in allowing Gopperth to score twice on the overlap as the Falcons cruised to a 26-3 half-time lead.
They went off the boil and the final score was 26-10, but they will be confident of better in next Sunday’s return fixture at Kingston Park.
The final two pool games are in mid-January, at home to Connacht and away to Cross Keys, two teams they have already beaten comfortably.
Hodgson converted three of the four tries on Saturday, one of which was a penalty try after winger Andrew Higgins was tackled round the neck as he was about to cross the line. Flanker Richard Mayhew also touched down.
While the Falcons have won all 14 games this season, Blaydon made it eight successive victories with a 17-8 win at Coventry to stay equal second in National One with Rosslyn Park, who visit Crow Trees this week.
In front of a crowd of almost 1,000, it took Blaydon until the second half to hit their stride after the morning coach journey.
They trailed 8-3 at halftime, but fly half Andrew Baggett went on to claim 12 points through a try, two conversions and a penalty.
His half back partner, Jonny Burn, had a fine game and another youngster to catch the eye was 19-year-old prop Trevor Davidson, who went on three times for blood injuries and scrummaged strongly.
Blaydon were well on top in the second half and went ahead when lock Chris Wearmouth scored from a line-out drive. Baggett jinked over from close range in injury time.
Tynedale, who host Blaydon in two weeks, slipped to fourth from the bottom when an injury time try consigned them to a 29-26 home defeat by Esher.
Tynedale played for most of the second half without lock Graeme Dunn, who was dismissed for a tip-tackle, and at the end they were down to 13 with Hamish Smales in the sin-bin.
They trailed 17-12 when Dunn was sent off, but tries by back row men Sam Reynolds and Ollie Stedman, both converted by Matty Outson, had them 26-17 ahead until Smales’ yellow card was followed by two tries at the death for the visitors.
For the second time this season Darlington Mowden Park’s scrum half scored a hat-trick in a 31-12 win at Sheffield Tigers.
But with Zylon McGaffin still in South Africa renewing his visa, it was his deputy, Jack Neville, who helped Mowden into third place in National Two North. They entertain second-placed Hull Ionians this week.
Neville scored all three second half tries after Mowden led 10-0 at the break through a try by flanker Rory Duff, plus a conversion and penalty by Grant Connon.
The gap came down to 10-7 when the Tigers were awarded a penalty try 12 minutes into the second half, but Mowden picked up the pace and Neville wriggled over from a ruck.
He then broke from a scrum to nip over and it became three in 15 minutes when he cut through again to score by the posts. Connon converted all three and the Tigers’ only reply came two minutes from time.
Westoe battled back in vain at home to Otley, losing 20-19 after trailing 17-0 at half-time.
They had flanker Haydn Richards sent off early in the second half following a melee, but with Otley receiving two yellow cards Westoe took control playing downhill and scored through centre Jamie Clark and No 8 Scott Powell.
A penalty stretched Otley’s lead to eight points, which proved just enough as Joe McKenzie scored a late converted try for Westoe.
West Hartlepool slipped to next to bottom in National Three North when they lost 25-14 at Lymm, who had the livelier backs.
All West’s points came from fly half Stu Waites, with the first two of his three penalties giving them a 6-3 lead. But they trailed 18-6 at the break and they were well beaten by the time he followed up his own chip to score near the end.
The tackling of 17-year-old replacement Sam Miller was a feature of the second half.
Durham City slipped to the bottom of North One East when they lost 28-18 at home to Northern. They have also had the deduction of five points confirmed for postponing their visit to Morley through being unable to raise a front row.
Stockton held on for a 19-10 win at home to Hartlepool Rovers after leading 19-0 at half-time. In the heavy conditions, the Stockton pack bossed the early exchanges, and the first try came when centre Craig Slaughter joined a line-out drive and touched down.
Then prop Andy Bailes finished off a 20-metre rolling maul and following a series of penalties Stockton elected to take a scrum with No 8 Matt Wootten securing the pushover try. Danny Phinn added two conversions.
Rovers kicked a penalty at the start of the second half then spent most of the 40 minutes camped in the Stockton 22. But the home defence was solid and conceded only one converted try.
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