SELECTION BOOST FOR SUNDERLAND AWAYDAY
Sunderland have been handed a selection boost ahead of the league trip to Ashington on Saturday (2pm KO).
The Ashbrooke men sit in fourth place in Durham and Northumberland league Two, two places and 13 points ahead of their Northumberland hosts.
Captain and loose forward Joe Arrowsmith and stalwart hooker Pete Harrison return to the starting line-up, with prop Will Sopp missing out through a back injury.
Backs Fraser Adamson and Joe Buckley are also back in the matchday squad.
Club bosses are targeting another bonus point after last weekend’s 52-9 demolition of South Shields.
Despite the return of key figures, several senior players have joined a lengthening injury list at Ashbrooke, including back rower Luke Robinson, who has been forced to call time on a playing career stretching back to mini and juniors, after sustaining a serious shoulder injury against Hartlepool A.
Club bossses aim to use tonight’s training session to finalise selection plans.
Chairman Paul Geehan said: “We are planning to put in a lot of practice tonight and make a decision on some positions.
“We had a few training on Tuesday, but there are a few still nursing knocks from the weekend. We are looking to have an undefeated second half of the season.
“Ashington is a place we are capable of getting a result at and they are coming back up after losing players to neighbouring clubs.”
He added: “Martin Watt (player-coach) may also have a run-out, but this all depends on numbers. We are aiming to go there with a strong side and let the backs do the damage.”
Elsewhere, the Second XV travel to West End RFC, the Flames women’s team are away to Darlington on Sunday, while Sunderland’s Colts host Consett RFC on Sunday (noon KO) at Ashbrooke.
Sunderland’s Under-15s host Middlesbrough and Blaydon RFCs, while the club’s mini section travel to neighbouring Westoe RFC.
Despite conceding a rash of penalties, Sunderland Under-15s were able to claim a 32-12 win at a battling Horden and Peterlee.
Number 8 Adam Williams claimed a brace (one conversion from Tom Howe), following good work from a pack led by second row Jonathan James and blindside Jai Swalwell.
Horden hit back, after Sunderland conceded the first of many penalties, in a stop-start game, scoring twice on the right-hand side of the post.
After dominating the breakdown, fly half Chris Rochelle scampered through to score under the posts, but then had to retire with a back injury.
Sunderland threatened, but were frequently penalised from successive set pieces and rucks, handing the advantage to their hosts, but last ditch defence, most notably Dylan Palfreyman’s man-and-ball tackle, kept Horden at bay.
In the second half, bullocking prop James Docherty broke through the centre to touch down and second row Jack Howell repeated the move, only to have his try disallowed by the ref after crossing the whitewash.
As the second half continued, centre Vincent Hessel was replaced by Zak Kennedy, retuning from a six-week injury lay-off.
Winger Thomas Hales added a well-taken fifth and Josh Jobling a sixth from a show and go from an attacking breakdown, converted gleefully by Docherty.
‘We are planning to put in a lot of practice tonight and make some decisions.’