PERCY PARK 22 – 5 MORPETH
Percy Park sporting their new shirts sponsored by Benfield Motor Group, were looking to avenge the defeat earlier in the season at Mitford Road and stop the rot following successive defeats to Wheatley Hills and Durham City. With Greg Dixon and Simon Greatham unavailable Sean Williamson came into an otherwise unchanged pack, and there was a re-shuffle in the back line. Following good showings in the Lions, Thomas Turnbull came in at fly half with Marcus Rutter moving to full back. Ali Blair moved inside one place to inside centre to allow Jonny Ward his first start on the wing for the 1st XV. Morpeth also made changes with captain Joe Forsythe moving up from lock to the front row, which surprised some as former Park player Karl Campbell, a recognised prop was on the bench.
With John Scott still injured Andy Dunn stood in as captain and promptly lost the toss, Morpeth chose ends and Park kicked off. From the start Park took the game to their Northumbrian visitors and camped in their half although Morpeth defended stoutly they did give away several penalties and after kicks by Rutter on 9, 13 and 16 minutes Park led 9 – 0.
It took the red and whites almost 20 minutes to gain any meaningful possession into Park territory but they couldn’t break down the impenetrable Park defence. Morpeth are renowned for their strong scrummage, but after the first set piece were left under no illusion that they were in for a battle royal. The Park pack demolished the Morpeth scrum giving them no attacking options and number 8 Rory Morrison a had his work cut out all afternoon securing ball for his scrum half.
The Park scrum domination was apparent to all when the visitors opted against scrummages time and time again, twice opting for drop outs rather than scrums and also chosing to take tap penalties rather than scrummages near the Park line. Morpeth had a good attacking chance close to the end of the half with Robert Mutch box kicking but finding Jonny Ward on the right wing who sped off upfield with a desperate tackle on the 10 metre line catching him by the boot laces stopping him from running the length of the pitch to score.
Park went into the break 9 – 0 up and early in the second half went further ahead through another Rutter penalty. The home side had most of the territorial battle and on 48 minutes Morpeth were reduced to 14 men when James Armstrong was sent to the bin for slowing down Park possession. Despite several good attacks Park couldn’t break through the Morpeth last line of defence with Ali Blair going close, and Paul Mooney giving away a penalty in the red zone which was more cynical than the one his colleague had earlier been binned for.
With Morpeth penalised Rutter went for another shot at goal from wide on the right, and with wind against his attempt fell short, but with the visitors napping Ali Blair chased up the kick and dived over the line only to knock on and the try was rightly disallowed.
With Morpeth still a man down, Park had a line out on half way. The ball was won off the top and spun out but wide of the intended target Thomas Turnbull. Ash Smith picked up the loose ball and cut back against the heavy traffic and through the Morpeth defences, he then linked up with Howard Stock on the left wing who offloaded to Craig Fidler who galloped away up the flank with Hamish Lockwood in support. The long legs of the Park lock strode past the defence and in at the corner for the try. Rutter couldn’t make the extra points but Park had stretched the lead 17 – 0.
Morpeth had brought on Cas Gross in the centre, confusingly wearing the number 4 shirt, although the Newcastle University student wouldn’t look out of place in the second row. It was Gros who finished off a good Morpeth move to power over the line on the left to score his team’s only points of the day with Jinks uncharacteristically missing the difficult conversion.
Percy Park hit back within 3 minutes when a break up the blind side started by Turnbull saw Andy Dunn in the line. The Park hooker drew his man and offload to Ward in space and the rangy wing put on the afterburners and eased pat the cover defence to score his debut 1st XV try. Rutter was just wide with the conversion so the score remained 22 – 5 until the final whistle blew minutes later.
Next week Park travel to McCracken Park to take on Northern.
PERCY PARK PUMAS 12 – 17 WHITLEY BAY ROCKCLIFF II
The Pumas suffered only their second defeat of the season at the hands of a strong Rockcliff side. Next week Park’s third XV take on Blyth II at Preston Avenue
PERCY PARK MARAUDERS v GATESHEAD IV
Unfortunately this game was abandoned after 50 minutes due to a serious injury to Stephen Irving. The Marauders have a week off next week, but the Lions are back in action at Preston Avenue where they take on Morpeth Reivers. The Morpeth 2nd XV defeated Park by a single point in the encounter earlier in the season, so the Lions will be looking to turn the tables and maintain their second position in Candy League 1 behind Tynedale Raiders.