Hartlepool Rovers welcomed Yarm Eagles to the new Friarage ground, determined to make a strong start after the reverse fixture earlier in the season, where Yarm led comfortably at half-time before Rovers staged a dramatic comeback. This time, Rovers wasted no time asserting themselves.

Rovers struck in the opening minute. A well-placed kick into Yarm’s 22 piled on early pressure, and when Yarm knocked on, James Keers pounced on the advantage, powering over in the Steetley corner. The conversion drifted wide, but Rovers were up 5-0.

Yarm responded swiftly on five minutes. A clearance kick from Fawcett went out on the full, gifting Yarm a line-out deep in Rovers territory. Slick handling and a sharp midfield break saw them cross to the left of the posts. The conversion was good: 5-7.

With the wind at their backs, Rovers kept Yarm pinned and capitalised from a line-out on the West View Road side. O’Callaghan soared to claim Glaister-Smith’s throw, and after neat interplay through Vincent, Fawcett and Rochester, Trimble drew the last defender to send Keers in for his second.

Another missed conversion left it 10-7.

On 18 minutes, Rovers extended their lead with a sweeping move. From a solid scrum, Lithgo secured possession, Lloyd carried hard, and Calvert burst through from halfway. He offloaded to Keers, who gathered brilliantly to complete a remarkable hat-trick inside 18 minutes. Fawcett added the extras: 17-7.

Yarm threatened from a central scrum, but a superb cover tackle from young Calvert denied a certain score. Persistence paid off on 30 minutes, though, as Yarm exploited the blindside and crossed for a well-taken try. The conversion missed, leaving it 17-12. The remainder of the half was evenly contested.

Half-time: Rovers 17 – 12 Yarm. With the wind advantage, Yarm would have fancied their chances, but Rovers had other ideas.

Rovers struck immediately after the restart. Keers collected a kick near his own 10m line and raced clear for his fourth try. Fawcett converted: 24-12.

Moments later, Rochester intercepted inside his own 22 and sprinted under the posts. Fawcett again added the extras: 31-12.

On 48 minutes, Rovers produced a flowing team try. After stretching Yarm’s defence across both flanks, Harrison’s incisive run set up Keers for his fifth. Conversion missed: 36-12.

Trimble joined the scorers on 52 minutes after a clever cross-field kick from Fawcett found Harrison, who offloaded inside. Another missed conversion, but Rovers were cruising at 41-12.

The introduction of Colts Joe Ward and Jake McMorris added fresh energy, with McMorris making three crunching tackles and a key turnover.

On the hour, Rovers struck again. From deep, Lithgo and Trimble combined before Harrison surged forward. Calvert, now on the wing, offloaded to Keers, who powered over for his sixth try of the afternoon – a performance for the history books. Fawcett converted: 48-12.

With the game safe, Rovers eased off, and Yarm’s expansive play earned them two late tries and a deserved bonus point.

Full-time: Hartlepool Rovers 48 – 22 Yarm. Star performer: James Keers – six tries, relentless pace and power.

This was a strong performance from Rovers, showcasing some slick, flowing rugby at times. Despite the scoreline, Yarm proved a tough opponent, playing an attractive, expansive game and showing they can be dangerous. Rovers’ defence, however, will need to tighten up and improve tackle height to cut attackers down earlier.
The win keeps Rovers in third place, maintaining pressure on the top two. Next week, Rovers are at home again against Jarrovians, while second-placed Houghton travel to league leaders Barnard Castle. There’s still plenty to play for in the weeks ahead.