You'd think looking at the above score that as coaches we'd be disappointed coming away from Durham, but it was quite the opposite. After disappointing performances against Consett and Sunderland post New Year, this was a vast improvement and we dominated our opponents for large periods of the game.

I always look at performance before results, ultimately if you perform, the positive results follow.

I've also always advocated concentrating on aspects of the game that you can control, and if we'd made that final pass, or been a second earlier to the breakdown, we wouldn't be moaning about the aspects of today that we had no control of. A number of significant decisions went against us, but we played really well!

All I asked today was for some 'fire in the belly', and we got plenty of that!

Our 'goto' players were phenomenal today, putting themselves about, making tackles and clearing rucks. Olly played really well at 8, and Rilley was at his marauding best often running through multiple defenders. Nicky, Mckenzie and Harry were really strong in their go forward and Riley G had a cracking game in debut at 9.

But everyone contributed today, there were some great tackles from Jake, Archie filled in really well at 7 and Finley never dropped a ball at the back.
I sensed early on that the lads were really up for it today, and it showed in their determination, and they never let their heads go down.

So I left Durham today full of pride in the effort the lads put in, and positive in that this was a much better performance, dominated by aspects that were out of our control. On another day, giving the same levels of commitment, it would have been a different story!

Forward of the match: Riley H
Back of the match: Isaac