Rosslyn Park eventually got the win, with a bonus point, they needed but only after they had passed the sternest of examinations set by an excellent Blaydon side as they edged the match 34-30.

Blaydon played way above their league position, with the reputation of their front row going before them, and Park’s experienced front row did well to counter them.

Park had the edge in the backs, but their very ambition and enterprise at times saw them make more mistakes than their counterparts.

In terms of cold statistics, both sides scored four tries and two penalties, but Park’s Ross Laidlaw successfully kicked all four conversion attempts against his opponents’ two.

The referee, Monsieur Luiz, on an exchange visit from the French Federation, was quicker on his whistle than most encountered in National one (though consistent and meticulously fair, which is all you can ask).

This led to an early exchange of penalties. Fly half Andrew Baggett kicked the visitors ahead on three minutes. Almost from kick off a penalty went the other way but, facing the wind, Laidlaw went for touch.

From the catch and drive, Park went over but such was the pile of bodies that the referee was unable to allow the effort. Blaydon sinned at the resulting scrum and Park again kicked to touch; the visitors defended resolutely but had no answer when full-back Nev Edwards received the ball out wide.

With the way ahead blocked he made a superb angled run inside to score near enough to the posts that Laidlaw did not need to calculate for any breeze when nailing the conversion.

However, before Park could even think of running away with the match they were pinged again by the referee and Baggett kicked his side well back into contention at 7-6 on 10 minutes.

Park were always looking to play enterprising rugby, shifting the ball around but the visitors harried them well and it was seizing upon a small error that saw them take a surprise lead four minutes later when former Newcastle Falcons hooker Matt Hall burst over, Baggett converting to put Blaydon in front by 13-7.

That lead was short-lived in a pulsating end-to-end contest that was worth a tenner of anyone’s money.

A Blaydon clearance went out on the full, bringing play back to the danger area and as Park moved the ball around Miles Mantella spotted a gap and sprinted a superb diagonal line to score, Laidlaw’s conversion regaining the lead at 14-13.

Park had begun to really find their gear and further pressure saw Edwards back in with the try of the match, a superb solo effort breaking tackles at speed up the left wing.

With only one tackler left close to the line, and with Paul Unseld outside him, the full-back took responsibility himself and his low angled dive took the defender over with him. The conversion attempt looked impossible but Laidlaw underlined what a superb kicker he is, though even he needed the assistance of the far post with this one.

Blaydon, though, were still fighting and when Park were instantly pinged again for not releasing, the ball was hoofed into the Park 22 for the visitors to set up a massive attack.

It looked as if Park had survived the worst Blaydon could throw at them until the ball went to Dave Sheldon, who has to be the tallest winger in the league, towering above the second row, and he got over in the corner to bring the score back to 21-18. Both sides had further opportunities before the half time whistle intervened.

Park started the second period strongly, forcing a panic clearance and threatening the line.

Blaydon hit back, but a great run out of defence by Edwards looked likely to bring dividends for Park.

However, it was the home team who blinked first when an error allowed centre David Clark in to put his side ahead on 47 minutes, Baggett’s conversion stretching the score to 25-21.

Park came storming back, winning a penalty wide to the left which, for once, Laidlaw missed.

Relief was short-lived for the visitors who sinned again in an almost identical spot: Laidlaw doesn’t miss twice.

Three minutes later, Park were back in front with a superb individual try from Will Robinson, who used both his strength in breaking a tackle and guile in running to make the line, to also bring up the four-try bonus. Laidlaw added the extras and Park had a 31-26 lead into the last 20 minutes.

Park set about putting a bigger margin between themselves and their visitors and they were helped when a high tackle saw centre Charles Incledon sent to the sin bin.

It did not look deliberate, but it was careless, blatant and in front of the referee.

Park capitalised when Blaydon sinned again in a kickable position, and skipper Mark Lock took the pragmatic decision to ask Laidlaw to kick for goal, thus leaving Blaydon to score more than a try to win with less than nine minutes remaining.

Blaydon threw everything into attack but Park nearly hit them with a counter-punch when Mantella kicked long up the wing and chased after it, but the ball found touch first.

Back came Blaydon and, winning a kickable penalty, kicked to the corner and the visiting pack showed exactly how to perform the catch and drive for Hall to bag his second try to bring things back to 34-30 with six minutes left.

Things then got distinctly hairy for Park when Luke Campbell was yellow-carded, leaving Park to play out the last five minutes a man short.

It was – in truth – the situation and not anything on the field that led to palpitations.

Park denied Blaydon another chance, and, on the balance of play, deserved their narrow victory.

Park already knew that you cannot take any team for granted at this level, but if they had needed reminding then Blaydon certainly did that.

The win was Park's ninth in 10 matches and lifted them up to second in National One. They host Barking on Saturday.

Park: Edwards; Mantella, Shabbo, Lewis (Robinson), Unseld; Laidlaw, Barr; Ovens, Richmond, Ward; Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot (Rowland), Barrett (Campbell), Lock.

Subs not used: Graham, Baxter.

Park scorers: Edwards (2T), Mantella (T), Robinson (T), Laidlaw (2P, 4C).