Regional 2 North
Percy Park RFC 15 v Morpeth RFC 46
Knock on Saturday produces a tough day at the office.
The faithful were still streaming through the gate as Percy Park endured one of their worst starts in a game for eons. As the ‘men on the gate’ made their way pitch side we were 19 points down and latecomers were demanding a refund. The Morpeth support were in raptures and the Percy Park faithful were reaching for the ‘book of excuses’. In whatever way we were able to sugar-coat the start, the plain truth is in a simple statement…. In those opening minutes we were poor. Sometimes you have to put your hands up and accept it. As the game progressed we got a lot better, especially in the second half, and to our teams credit they made Morpeth work hard for their victory. The question that abounded was how had it gone so tragically wrong? Our victory against Westoe was a joy to see with Park back to their mercurial best, but how could we go from there to here in such a short leap? We have never backed away from questioning or looking for improvement. It is one of our strengths. To gain insight thoughts were obtained from an on field and off field perspective, not forgetting those from the faithful…well only those that can be put into print!
Head Coach Ash Smith was straight to the point ‘Tough day at the office for us. Between some unavailability and training issues we had a reshuffle in the backs. Tactically we didn’t execute how we wanted to play. We talked around patience and being smart in how we manipulate them but we lacked a bit of cohesion in certain areas of the field. Something that we need to develop with some inexperience in key positions. We spoke afterwards, if we hadn’t handed them 25 points, it’s a close game, but not being able to control yourself emotionally in a big game is key ,which leads to lack of wanting to make the collision or making simple errors such as knock-ons, missing line outs, tackles and kick offs. Lots to work on and a steep learning curve for some of our players’.
Leading the coaching team on the field Michael Langlands had this to say: ‘Frustrating, we coughed up the ball too easily and they capitalised on our mistakes. Set piece went well. We are a better team than the score line suggested. I thought we played well in sections of the game, with good hands and running angles. But then coughed the ball up in red area. Frustrating’
The musing of the faithful was around selection. And they weren’t that far away in their beliefs. Thoughts that were answered by Ash Smith. Players that had performed well against Westoe had been selected in different areas and on the day failed to reach those heights. Confusion overflowed in the 1872 bar. It was difficult to comprehend and the tables were ‘a buzz’ with conversation. You could understand where they were going with their notions. What it did reflect was the passion held for their team. It truly was a tough day at the office.
Backsides had hardly touched plastic pads in the stand as Morpeth ran in their first. From a scrum, where we got the nudge on, Morpeth went backwards managing to get the ball out for ex Park wing Jonny Ward to collect a grubber kick and round his man to score. Although we were doing well in the ‘front 5’, Morpeth’s 8 was in fine form and always managed to get his team on the front foot. Their second try came from a delayed pass, that went behind the back of the rush defence, and with nobody covering Seb Reece’s right shoulder the ball was ran in with ease. A hash at the restart brought us back to the scrum, from which we had the away side going backwards, then…well it’s not worth going there. It’s sufficient to say 19 nil to the visitors.
Another hash at the restart brought the game back to the scrum. Again we did well in that area with the Morpeth 8 scrambling the pick-up. He drove forward into acres of space and put runners at the retreating Park defensive line. With Morpeth looking odds on to score again a communication mix up between their outside centre and wing saw a bouncing ball. Taking the handbrake off, Jamie Wrigley collected the ball and scorched down the left wing, leaving a trail of red and white in his wake to score. 5 to 19. The start of a recovery? We hoped.
Percy Park started to play and Morpeth were camped in their half. We were running some great angles and punching holes. We looked good but the Morpeth back row looked better. Milliseconds off in the support had the visitors ‘6, 7 and 8’ over the ball. Gaining penalties and relieving the pressure. Park kept it on. Our forwards were aggressive.
The game played ‘within the 22’s’ until an unfortunate knock on gave Morpeth territorial advantage. Winning the ball back our exit was good. The ball returned and we knocked on. Back to the scrum. Fortunately we were doing well there. And yes Morpeth went backwards. 8 picked up and drove his team forward onto the front foot. He really was a good player. The contest going to a pattern. Ball swung out to the left. The pace of the ball put the Morpeth strike winger in acres of room to score in the corner. He really couldn’t miss. 5 points to 24 the score. Percy Park had to find a way to tie in Morpeth’s back row; the response from our coaching team was immediate.
Chris Reekie, on his return to the fold from a stint of working away in the capital, entered the fray from the back row. Percy Park went to the forwards with Matty Atkinson, Josh Hedley and Chris Reekie driving and tying in. A penalty was given and we went to the corner. Back to the forwards. Eddie Saint and Josh Hedley making their presence felt. Morpeth were on the line and defending hard. The Park eight just kept going with Michael Langlands receiving a pop pass from Tom Robinson to spin over the line. A good try. Conversion missed 10 points to 24.
The game was levelling out. Jonny Ward made a lot of ground before being caught. Our exit was good until we left the ball lying at the back before the ruck had been formed. Morpeth’s 8 was on it like a shot. The pass went to hand although player and ball were bundled into touch. Throw to Park. The overthrow was horrible. A right mix up with the call to the back meant we didn’t jump. Straight into the hands of the ‘blindside’, mixed with a couple of hand offs, the Morpeth ‘6’ scored between the posts. From the restart we knocked-on.
Many years ago there was a famous match report that described a wheel coming off a bus. On this occasion the back tyre was rolling down the hill. 10 points to 29 and into the half time huddle.
On match days Percy Park are running an experienced coaching team having been joined by ex-Blaydon Captain Keith Laughlin. The faithful knew we had to make changes if we were to rescue anything from this game. Not to be disappointed, the team rang the bell and shuffled the cards. Thomas Moore went to centre, Paul Spowart to 10, Andrew Walker to wing and Sam Digman to loose head.
With renewed optimism the game restarted. That optimism was enhanced when we started walking Morpeth back in the scrum and further encouraged when a Morpeth centre was given the ‘cheese’ for upending Jamie Wrigley in the air. The faithful smelt a try. Percy Park applied the pressure and that try looked likely until we…knocked-on. Ball returned and we made a hash of the collect. Knock-on. Morpeth scrum. We went back to the earlier pattern of the Morpeth 8 picking up and being supported by his 6. The away pressure remained until we received a line out. Morpeth disrupted. Our forwards counter but we were unable to get out of our half to make the additional number count. A very poor box kick gave the ball away again and in the resulting ruck we give away a penalty. Josh Hedley hitting the ruck from outside the gate. Loved his reaction though. Passion. Taken. 10 points to 32.
Worse was to come. Matty Atkinson lost the ball in the tackle and the bouncing ball was seized on by the Morpeth back row, who then played ‘pass the ball’ until they got under our posts. Try converted. On a positive note the forwards, led by the player who made the mistake, made good ground. Passion. We were on their line. Sam Digman making his presence felt.
The Park bench made another change introducing Charley Miller to scrum half. The player took his opportunity and put in an impressive shift on his debut. Percy Park remained on Morpeths line. A good period in the game. I honestly thought we were over on a couple of occasions. Morpeth were living by the ‘skin of their teeth’.
Then came the dreaded knock-on. From the resulting scrum Morpeth went backwards with the 8 struggling to clear. Captain Seb Reece, anticipating the floated pass to clear, made an attempt to intercept. Fingertips caressed the ball but he was unable to collect. Whistle went and yellow card shown.
Percy Park continued to play well. There appeared to be a better balance in their side. Our forwards were putting in a good shift. They look an impressive unit. Jamie Wrigley went down with cramp and had to be replaced. His energy coming onto the ball was missed. Park missed a couple of opportunities to creep back into the game, but they kept at it, receiving their reward when Andrew Walker dotted down following an astute kick through from Tom Robinson. A good race that the winger won much to the delight of the watching faithful. Passion was being shown on and off the pitch. If we could harness that a bonus point could be in our reach.
We endeavoured and tried. Charley miller was giving his all, getting his forwards driving Morpeth backwards. Then that horrible hyphened word crept in. The one that begins with the letter K. This time, in the tackle, Eddie Saint dropped the ball. The mistake was seized upon. Try scored. 15 points to 46 the score and there it remained.
On a personal note the author believes that we deserved a bonus point. Despite the loss there was real passion shown and our forwards, to an 8, played well and did not give up. The start was horrible. Against Morpeth we were never going to recover. To quote our Head coach Ash Smith ‘Lots to work on and a steep learning curve for some of our players’
Representing Percy Park RFC
From 15: Jamie Wrigley, Toby Davison, Paul Spowart, Seb Reece, Thomas Moore, Andrew Walker and Tom Robinson
From 8: Michael Langlands, Leo Caulfield, Aaron Horvarth, Josh Hedley, Eddie Saint, Matty Atkinson, Dan Shuttleworth and Aaron Smith
Finishers: Chris Reekie, Sam Digman and Charley Miller.