North One East
Wheatley Hills 23 – 22 Percy Park
Despite Park scoring 4 tries to Wheatley’s 3, they went down by a single point which was in the main a combination of not converting crucial kicks and gifting penalties for moments of indiscipline.
Park had an early penalty kick at goal but the ball drifted wide, however soon after Ali Blair was gifted an interception which he gratefully accepted, running half the length of the pitch to score on 11 minutes. Toby Davison’s conversion attempt hit the right post and bounced out.
Wheatley hit back with 2 tries in 2 minutes, the first coming from Number 8 Tom White, and the second another interception which saw James Montgomery stride in under the posts for a try which was converted by Owen Gilvray to give his side a 12 – 10 lead after 20 minutes.
The visitors came back with a catch and drive try with Joe Wafer getting the touch down and Davison kicked the extras to level the scores which was how the half finished 12 – 12.
Conditions weren’t great for running rugby with sleet and rain falling just before and during the game which made conditions difficult under foot and also made handling tricky.
In the second half Owen Gilvray was handed a kickable penalty chance to go 15 -12 up, after Park were penalised in their own half, but the visitors then went ahead on 52 minutes when Josh Hedley powered over for a try which remained unconverted.
From the kick off Park were penalised for obstruction and Gilvray retook the lead 18 – 17.
Despite the conditions both sides were spinning the ball wide, and James Montgomery scored his second try of the game in the right hand corner evading the last tackler in the Park defensive line.
With 20 minutes to go Wheatley led 23 – 17, but Park threw everything at them and with Ollie Gilmore coming on at scrum half, his fresh legs picked up the pace and Park scored on 75 minutes with full back Michael Groves going over in the corner. The conversion would have given Park the lead, but Toby Davison again was unlucky to hit the post from a difficult angle.
Wheatley Hills managed to keep Park out of penalty kicking distance for the remaining minutes of the game and held out for a 23 – 22 victory.
Despite the loss, Park did pick up 2 bonus points which keeps them in second place, with third placed Ilkley travelling to Preston Avenue next week for the game re-arranged from before Christmas.
UBS Candy Trophy Quarter-final
Northern Wanderers 25 – 29 Percy Park Lions
Percy Park Lions travelled to McCracken Park, missing a few regulars who had been moved up to the 1st XV as cover for injured or unavailable players, and won a close came against Northern Wanderers to go through to the semi final of the Trophy Competition. The Lions will meet Gateshead II who won 12 – 5 against Morpeth Reivers, although the date is yet to be confirmed.
Both Park and Gateshead are also in the semi finals of the Northumberland and Durham Cups although strangely the two Counties were unable to co-ordinate the cup dates as they had in previous seasons, so neither side is available on the 2 dates set down for the semi.
Northumberland River Aln League
Whitley Bay Rockcliff Vikings 25 – 24 Percy Park Pumas
Rockcliff claimed the bragging rights with a slender win over the Pumas in the local derby between the two clubs.