Percy Park Academy 24 Westoe 5
The Tyne Challenge Colts Cup has been resurrected this season after a number of years between Park and Westoe. After losing in the league game earlier this season by one point Park were keen to make amends and win the cup. Park lost their hooker David Owens to the 4th team during the warm up as without a recognised hooker they would have forfeited their cup game, so many thanks to him for stepping up.
Early exchanges were frantic with lots of passion, commitment and quite a lot of skill from both sides - a good old fashioned cup tie! The game was spiky with a few dust ups that got out of hand just before half time when a mass brawl brought discredit to both sets of players. Prior to this Joe Wilkinson continued his good form by crashing over from close range, converted by Zac Rutter, and Josh Hedley scored from a neat penalty offload from Matty Robson, again converted by Rutter. Each side had lost a man to the sin-bin for technical offences and the referee spoke to both sets of players and coaches during the break. Half time 14-0.
Both sides settled into playing rugby in the second half and the game was much better for it with plenty of skill on show despite the awful weather. Matty Atkinson scored another close range effort but the conversion attempt just drifted wide. Westoe lost another player to the sin-bin for blocking a quick penalty and Jack Davidson finished a good team move while they were down to 14. The conversion went wide again but at 24-0 Park felt confident that the game was theirs. Westoe remained ultra competitive in all aspects of the game with improved scrummaging evening the game out in terms of territory and possession. Westoe continued to press for a score, were given a penalty about eight yards out, were impeded by a Park player then scored. Confusion reined as the referee clearly blow his whistle for the offence before the grounding of the ball, but then yellow carded the Park player and awarded the try! The conversion went wide and the whistle blown for full time at 24-5. Just deserts for Westoe who always looked dangerous and capable of scoring.
Despite the brawl that both sides have to take responsibility for, some super rugby was played by both sides with the return league match in January eagerly anticipated.
Final Score Park 24 Westoe 5
Man of the Match: Jack Dale