What a battle!

From the first whistle to the last, Bishop Auckland Colts and West Hartlepool Colts went toe-to-toe in a fiercely contested encounter that had everything you would expect from a proper Colts rugby match.

There was no shortage of commitment from either side, with tackles flying in and bodies being put firmly on the line. Our lads defended with huge determination, putting themselves in front of everything West Hartlepool threw at them. There were a few scrapes and incidents along the way, all dealt with calmly and fairly by the referee, allowing the game to continue in the competitive spirit in which it was played.

Bishop Auckland showed plenty of character throughout. Every metre was fought for, every tackle mattered and nobody was prepared to give an inch.

As the game moved towards its conclusion, it felt like it could go either way. The lads continued to dig deep, defending their line desperately as West Hartlepool applied the pressure.

But, in the end, our defence finally creaked.
Our goal-line defence, which had stood firm for so long, just wasn’t quite strong enough in the closing stages, allowing West Hartlepool to sneak over and ultimately pip us right at the post.

A heartbreaking way to finish what was a tremendous effort from the whole squad.
There are defeats where you walk away disappointed, and then there are defeats where you walk away knowing just how much your team gave. This was definitely the latter.

The lads left everything on that pitch today. They showed courage, physicality, togetherness and a willingness to put their bodies on the line for each other.
Credit to West Hartlepool for finding a way to get over the line when it mattered.

For our lads, heads up. There is plenty to build on from a performance full of fight, grit and character.
Sometimes rugby comes down to the finest of margins.
Today, West Hartlepool just got the better of those margins.

Keep fighting. Keep believing. Keep building.
Bishops Colts…… together until the final whistle!