Durham and Northumberland 1
Ponteland RUFC 17 v Percy Park RFC 73
‘Campeones’
For Percy Park RFC this game was about a point or two; for Ponteland there was a lot of noise around playing the game and the shipping of 70 points. Anxiety flowed for different reasons. Ash Smith and his team needed to secure a point to secure the title from the chasing city boys at Northern RFC and Ponteland, with little to play for, didn’t want ‘an Acklam’ on their final game of the season. The Ponteland management team were letting their anxiety spill over pre and during the game. They should not have worried. Ponteland have some great players coming through and they arrived at the ‘Sports Stadium’ determined that Percy Park would win their trophy on the grass rather than on paper. The first 25 minutes were very competitive making a mockery of any league position. Park were nervous and Ponteland scrapped. It was a good game to watch. And we are thankful that the game was played a ‘walk over’ is not the way to win a league. As the game progressed Percy Park secured the championship point on 30 minutes and although Ponteland did ship over 70 points they showed real character right to the end with some excellent displays from Owen Reed and Elliot Blain.
Percy Park’s first try came on 9 minutes with hooker Adam Hay forcing his way over following a neat ‘catch and drive’ With the score converted Park led by 7 but not for long.
Owen Reed was having a great game at 9 for Ponteland. He was enjoying the big stage and looks to be a really good player. A statement supported by a deft chip and chase that left the pacey Percy Park back line rooted to the spot. Collecting the kick Reed made for the line eventually touching down. Not only did the player score he converted his own try. 7 all.
The game ebbed and flowed until Percy Park’s scrum half Robin Houghton benefitted from an offload from the rushing Jamie Wrigley. Attracting the defence Wrigley played the ball up and into the waiting arms of Houghton. With Ash Smith converting the Park faithful hoped the game would settle and Park would stretch the score line away from the home side.
On 23 minutes the travelling support were silenced when Ponteland secured their second try. A controversial conversion followed with referee Ricky Handa giving the points. Both touch judges disagreed and were adamant that the ball hadn’t gone over. The Ponteland management were on the pitch and to be fair the ball looked as if it had travelled. The decision went to VAR and was over ruled.12-14
Ponteland were in the game at this point despite pre-match anxiety and background noise. It was a real contest and enjoyable to watch. Percy Park needed to settle the nerves and get into their stride. A Jake Smith catch and pass put Matty Atkinson into and through the defensive line to score a good forwards try. With the conversion taken 12 to 21. Percy Park relaxed and Paul Spowart hit the line to score off a quick and fast moving ball. Smith converted. 12 points to 28.
The two scores came quickly and dealt a heavy blow to the home side. The try scoring bonus point meant we had won the league irrespective of result.
The tries kept coming. On the 31 minute mark a good break and pass from Andrew Walker allowed Michael Langlands to score a try on the half time. With the extra two taken care of. Percy Park led at the turn by 12 points to 35.
Ponteland didn’t look like a lower league placed side despite the home support iterating that ‘they had loads missing’. They tackled well. For the record they had 5 players in the squad of 18 who played us in September. With a full and committed squad they should do well next year.
For the first 12 mins of the second half neither side managed a score. Percy Park reverted to a forward move, taking a clean catch at a line out. The drive was powerful and was heading for the try line until a home hand pulled the accelerating maul down. The action ensuring all the combative players ended up in a heap. Watching the referee had no hesitation in going for the whistle and awarding a penalty try.
The Park forwards were showing their dominance and grinding down the opposition. Sam Digman had a bollocking run and Josh Hedley was proving to be a force in the midfield.
A quick penalty tap on the 54 minute mark was initially stopped by the home side until Matty Atkinson pirouetted out of the tackle to score his second of the day. 12-47
On 61 mins another catch and drive try resulted in a second try for Adam Hay. Percy Park were turning the screw. Unfortunately the conversion was marred by a Ponteland coach who verbally demonstrated his anxiety to all who would listen on the subject of the away side reaching 70 points. Once achieved he made his intentions clear he would call the game. Ash Smith zoned out and ignored the background noise as he slotted the conversion. 12-54
Leo Caulfield scored an interception try as Ponteland were encouraged to run everything they touched. Prior the home side had elected to kick for position keeping Percy Park turned. They were doing well until the instruction came. Percy Park are fast and any sniff of a floating ball is snapped up. On this occasion Leo Caulfield was on hand to see the opportunity. Ash Smith converting. 12-61
Best try of the game came when Andrew Walker made a break from inside his own half.
Walker left several players in his wake before ‘chipping a defender’ and retrieving his kick. As the defence ran across, and with another defender to beat, Andrew Walker struck a ‘crossfield kick’ on the move which found the outstretched hands of Robin Houghton loitering on the right wing. Houghton made ground and crossed the line before touching down under the posts. Once more the try was converted. 12-66
Ponteland didn’t give up and their centre Elliot Blain (who had enjoyed a really good run out) scored a very good try out pacing our flat line defence. 17-66
All that remained was for Matty Atkinson to get his third try of the game and buy his eager team mates one or two jugs. As the game approached its end Cameron Young, on at scrum half, did his best to oblige. Taking an active hand in starting the move the prop forward made supporting ground. Cam Young made the offload in the tackle. Atkinson was on the line…all he had to do was catch it….and finish the season with aplomb…
he didn’t…. dropping the ball over the line to the screams and howls from the away support. The derision could be heard in Halifax. The spill being met with much ridicule concerning jug avoidance. Thankfully Ross Young was on hand to spare his team mates blushes ensuring that Percy Park’s last act in the championship winning game was a score. Young scoring a fine wingers try. Ash Smith didn’t let anybody down as he slotted the conversion. Final score 17 to 73 and with the referees whistle the Ponteland coach got his wish. The game was called as Percy Park crossed the 70 point mark.
Celebrations ensued with bottles of sparkling Lucozade being liberally sprayed around and the Ponteland side leading the way to the bar to wish their opponents best wishes and luck for the following season. That and some of the best home-made pies ever tasted...pies that would give our own Master Chef Eddie Saint a run for his money!
The result and 5 point haul ensured that Percy Park could not be caught in the race for the title. The consequence being that our next game away to South Shields Westoe has been ‘put on ice’. With both clubs unable to benefit the contest had no meaning. So our 1st XV finish at Ponteland and our thanks go to Ross Young for finishing our season with panache rather than leaving the finish to the butter hands of our tight head prop!
Next up is our Lions team who take on Blaydon Georgians in the Candy Competition final on Saturday 30th April. Please see our web site and social media platforms for the venue. Your support is always needed and welcomed.
Percy Park RFC:
From 15; James Wrigley, Howard Stock, Ash Smith, Paul Spowart, Ross Young, Andrew Walker and Robin Houghton
From 8; Leo Caulfield, Jake Smith, Michael Langlands, Karl Thompson, Josh Hedley, Matty Atkinson, Adam Hay and Sam Digman.
Finishers: Michael Birkett, Mark Barry and Cameron Young.