Gateshead travelled to the Wolverines to keep up their assault on the Northern Conference in their inaugural league year duly returning with the honours.

As in their previous games this season the Colts failed to produce any real threat on offense and gifted the opposition points or decent field position, while their defense continued to chase and tackle to a standstill. The visitors opened the scoring in the first quarter when the aptly named Simon Cruise sprinted clear from twenty-two yards out. With the conversion being missed the Senators eased into a 6 – 0 lead. The loss of the two conversion points was quickly recovered when James Landless dragged down the home quarterback in his own end zone to notch the safety and edge the Gateshead side out to an 8 – 0 at the end of the first quarter.

The young Wolverine side continued to impress on defense battling to keep the Senators away. However the visitors’ defense showed the killer instinct when Gavin Barr grabbed hold of an interception and scampered seventeen yards for another six points. Adam O’Brien darted in for the conversion and Gateshead were well on their way at 16 – 0 by half time.

Traditionally the Wolverines have always had a mean defense, something that was the backbone of their dynasty years. This emerging fledgling side seem to be out of the same mould, stifling the Senators in the third period. However the Senators, not to be outdone forced their third scoring turnover of the day through Craig Summerfield who recovered a fumble in the Lancashire end zone to pad the lead out to 18 – 0.

Adam O’Brien in the fourth quarter polished off a good afternoon’s work for Gateshead when he outpaced the Wolverines defense to record a further six points from seventeen yards out and send the visitors home happy with a 24 – 0 victory.

Once the Wolverines rectify some of their frailties they will be an excellent side. This season has been a steep learning curve for the “Men in Black” but the experience will be invaluable. Look for them to a polished and competitive side next season.

As for the Senators, their sights are firmly fixed on the playoffs. Their match up with Clyde Valley will go a long way to deciding who wins the Northern Conference and then the entire post season picture will become that much clearer. To second guess who might play whom and when would only be pure conjecture.