OLD BRODLEIANS 25 – 23 PERCY PARK
To quote an Old Brods supporter, post match “the best side lost”, and Park were instrumental in their own down fall. It took an 87th minute penalty by Brods skipper Dan Wood to take the points which keeps the Woodhead side top of North One East, and the only side in the league with a 100% record.
Both sides were forced to make changes from week 3 of the league campaign, with the home side changing 4 out of last week’s front 5 due to injury. Park made a few changes in the back division with John Scott being out of contention, Ash Smith moved in to scrum half from full back, Dave Griffiths moved from centre to fill this place and a new centre pairing of Zak Appleby Rutter and Simon Greatham took the field with Craig Firth out due to a rib injury.
Park started brightly with the benefit of the considerable slope and wind at their backs. Ali Blair went over in the left hand corner on four minutes after Joe Wafer had crashed the ball up in mid field. Michael Langlands took the ball on then the backs were released with Ali scoring the try which Phil Morse could not convert.
Brods hit back a few minutes later after Park were penalised for not releasing the tackled player and Dan Wood kicked the points.
Park continued the pressure and a misdirected clearance kick from the home side found Howard Stock in space to run the ball back at the defence. Ali Blair received a pass and was stopped outside the 22, but Zak Appleby- Rutter took the ball on recycling to Simon Greatham who carved his way through the centre to score under the posts after 10 minutes on the clock. Phil Morse added the extras, and the signs were ominous for the home side who trailed 12 – 3.
Park missed a penalty soon after but on 29 minutes Howard Stock went over in the right hand corner after a good pass by Michael Langlands put the young winger in space. With the conversion missed, Park were 17 – 3 up and coasting.
No further points could be added up to half time, and Park turned around to play up hill in the second half. Any visitor to Old Brodleians knows how important having the benefit of the slope can be, but Park scored first in the second period with a penalty by Simon Greatham.
The visitors had their chance to get a bonus point when another attack near the Brods line saw Park with an overlap, only for the ball to be kicked and the pressure released.
Old Brodleians hit back with a fine try by flanker Olly Ackroyd who scythed through some poor tackling to score under the sticks. In the past Ackroyd would probably have taken the conversion himself, but kicking duties now fell to fly half Dan Wood, who rather casually took the conversion which was charged down by Park’s fly half Phil Morse.
The try seemed to raise the spirits of the home side who at half time looked out of it. Park chose to keep the ball tight up the hill rather than using their backs who had the edge over Brods. Then came the game changing 5 minutes of madness.
Park were on the attack and on the Old Brodleians 10 metre line when Andy Dunn powered into the home defensive line, brother Tony then drove into the ruck and appeared to trip over and went off his feet. Referee Carl Hill then without warning took out his yellow card and sent him to the sin bin which took everyone by surprise. Then four minutes later as though on a piece of elastic, out came the card again and this time Ponton was in the bin and Park were down to 13 men with 10 minutes or so remaining.
Brods took full advantage and from a scrum, half back Joe Armitage skipped through the Park defence and this time Wood made no mistake with his conversion to make the score 15 – 20. Liam Scott then scored a try after some sloppy defence and Brods had drawn level, with the conversion giving them the lead 22 – 20.
Park didn’t give up and restored back to 15 went on the offensive, and were rewarded with a penalty 2 minutes into injury time. Simon Greatham stepped up and kicked the difficult chance to give Park a slender 23 – 22 lead. Now all that was required was to close the game out, and put away the “get out of jail free card”
Both sets of supporters were on edge and when Park turned the ball over in their own half, Brods went on the attack. A full seven minutes of injury time had been played, then came the dreaded penalty, and calmly Wood stepped up and delivered the killer blow to the visitors, although there was heated debate in the bar afterwards as to whether or not the ball had gone between the uprights.
With all the changes to the Old Brodleians side in the run up to the start of the season, they themselves are surprised at their 100% start, but it is refreshing to see a club go to the well of home grown players rather than opting to bring in the “guns for hire” as so many other Yorkshire teams seem to do, and good luck to them for the rest of the season.
Park need to regroup next Saturday as they take on Brods neighbours Old Crossleyans at Preston Avenue.