Considering recent form, the match could have gone either way. Newcastle came into the game on shaky form, with just two wins in its last six matches played. Northumbria’s recent form was only marginally better, with three wins in five.
The match started out with both sides on equal footing. Northumbria won the tip and quickly opened the scoring, taking a narrow early lead as Newcastle struggled for a foothold. They quickly caught up, however, with a string of intercepted passes and fast breaks allowing the hosts to create some breathing space, finishing the first quarter with a 26-17 lead.
A particularly one sided second quarter saw Newcastle add 22 points to their tally, while Northumbria managed just seven, stretching the lead to be close to insurmountable and rather signing Northumbria’s death warrant.
The Poly looked for a comeback, slightly reducing the deficit in the third quarter, before an increasingly confident Newcastle put the match to bed in the fourth, playing with flair as Northumbria waved white flags.
In what was the 2s’ final match of the season, Newcastle bid farewell to its departing players with a comfortable victory in front of enthusiastic support, as Northumbria offered minimal threat beyond the match’s earliest moments.
