The visitors started brightly, dominating the opening five minutes with sustained pressure and some fluid attacking phases. Despite hammering away at the Yarm line, the home side’s defence held firm, repelling wave after wave of white shirts.

Then came the sucker punch. Against the run of play, Yarm capitalised on a Rovers error and raced away for a converted try. That moment shifted the momentum, and within 20 minutes, Yarm had surged to a 17-0 lead. Their slick handling, aggressive running, and excellent support play had Rovers reeling.

By the half-hour mark, Yarm extended their lead to 24-0 with another well-taken try, leaving Rovers searching for answers.

That answer came in the 37th minute. Captain Jack Gunn, refusing to let the game slip away, took matters into his own hands and powered over under the posts. Fawcett added the extras, giving Rovers a lifeline at 24-7 heading into the break.

The halftime team talk was direct and uncompromising. The coaching staff demanded a response—and they got one.

Rovers came out firing in the second half. The intensity lifted, the basics were executed well, and the forwards—Wilkins, Gunn, BGS,and Wilson—led the charge. After a series of strong carries, the ball was spun wide and Rochester created a 2-on-1, drawing his man and putting Harrison in the corner for a well-worked team try. The conversion was missed, but Rovers were back in it at 24-12.

With momentum building, Rovers camped in the Yarm 22. On 52 minutes, a Yarm player was sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements. Despite the numerical advantage, Yarm’s defence remained resolute. A penalty under the posts on the hour mark was calmly slotted by Fawcett, narrowing the gap to 24-15.

Time was ticking, but Rovers weren’t done. A scrum on the Yarm 22 in the 62nd minute gave Gunn the platform he needed. Picking from the base, he outpaced the flanker and bulldozed through the winger to score his second try. The conversion was missed, but Rovers were within touching distance at 24-20.

Then came the moment of magic. A Yarm attack broke down and Smith carried hard, breaking the gain line. Quick ball allowed the backs to shift it wide to Keers, who received it in his own half. With pace to burn, he rounded his opposite number and outpaced the cover to score. The conversion was missed, but Rovers had taken the lead for the first time—25-24 with ten minutes to play.

Yarm weren’t finished. They earned a penalty on 77 minutes and opted to go for goal. It was ambitious—and fortunately for Rovers, it fell short.

Knowing a one-point lead might not be enough, Rovers went back on the attack. Their pressure earned a penalty well within Fawcett’s range, and he made no mistake on 79 minutes to extend the lead to 28-24.

Yarm threw everything at Rovers in the dying moments, but the visitors held firm, turned the ball over, and sealed a remarkable comeback victory

Post-Match Reaction
Coach Smith said:

“We were 24-0 down on 30 minutes and looked beaten. But to score 28 unanswered points when the momentum of the game was all Yarm initially is testament to the resilience of the players. That first half was simply unacceptable. The players knew what needed to change in the second half and they responded. We played some very solid rugby. Yarm can count themselves unfortunate—they were the better team by a long way in the first half”

Man of the Match
Jack Gunn – Led from the front, scored two crucial tries, and inspired the comeback.⸻

Next Fixture
Hartlepool Rovers vs Sedgefield Saturday, 18 October 2025 – The Friarage⸻