Rugby union: Chester 37 Middlesbrough 29

Feb 25 2010 Chester Chronicle

Chester 37 Middlesbrough 29

THE Hare Lane crowd witnessed a thrilling display of attacking rugby on Saturday as Chester came out on top in an 11-try thriller.

The game roared into life when Middlesbrough took an early lead with a try from a well-worked move. The conversion was missed and the visitors’ failure to kick points would come back to haunt them by the final whistle.

Chester, who had worked with Sale Sharks coach Pete Anglesea during the week, then started to put Boro under pressure. The hard work paid off when an onslaught from the forwards allowed Ross White to score, with Simon Verbickas adding the extras for a 7-5 lead.

White and Andy Moore then combined to set Will Bown free to gallop 40 yards to score and make it 12-5.

With their noses in front, Chester continued to try to play an open brand of rugby, but Boro refused to lie down and made it 12-10 with a try.

A Verbickas penalty made it 15-10, only for Boro to level with an unconverted try at the break.

Chester swapped James Farrell for the industrious Tom Chappell at half time and the young North Walian soon spotted a gap and fed Pat Coy, who put man-of-the-match Sean Green free to score under the posts for an easy conversion.

A few minutes later, White grabbed his second try and Coy then finished off another fine move to extend Chester’s lead to 17 points (32-15) with barely 15 minutes of the second half played.

With both sides making changes and gaps starting to appear, Chester extended their lead further when the hardworking John Gill crashed over to score the hosts’ sixth and final try of the afternoon.

But the excitement was far from over as Middlesbrough threw caution to the wind. They scored two late consolation tries – both converted – in the last five minutes to set up a frantic finish, but Chester had enough of a points cushion and held on.

Tim Doig’s men now sit fourth in National Three North, nine points behind Morley in second spot.

They welcome local rivals Birkenhead Park to Hare Lane on Saturday (2.15pm).