PERCY PARK 31 – 25 TYNEDALE RAIDERS
The final took place at McCracken Park, and a good sized crowd saw Tynedale kick off at 6.30pm on the dot in bright sunny conditions, on a firm surface. During the first 20 minutes Borthwick and Rutter exchanged penalty goals, and Park led 9 – 6 until Ali Gray surged down the right wing to score in the corner for Tyne just before half time. Borthwick missed the conversion but the Corbridge side went in to the break 11- 9 up.
Park started the second half in the best possible manner with a try with only a minute played. Ash Smith made a surging break and was unlucky to be pulled up for a forward pass. From the resulting scrum, Park’s pack dominance put the Tyne scrum under huge pressure and scrum half John Scott, stole the ball at the back of the scrum and spun the ball wide for Martin Shaw to go in at the corner. Referee Wayne Falla consulted his touch judge before awarding the try, and although the conversion was short of the mark Park now led 14 – 11.
Rutter had a chance to increase the Park lead but missed his penalty left of the posts. Borthwick then had the chance to draw level but he too missed the penalty opportunity.
Percy Park then had their best spell of the game with constant pressure on the Tynedale line. Solid defence kept the Park forwards at bay. In the set scrum Park had the measure of their Tynedale counterparts, and looked to be going over the line from a 5 metre scrum, but the front rows came up and Park were awarded another penalty. Tyne then pulled out all the stops to keep the Park eight, out, and eventually cleared their lines.
On the hour mark, Percy Park were once again encamped on the Tynedale line, and instead of going for the push over try, spun the ball wide and Howard Stock scored on the right wing. The unconverted try meant Park were now 2 scores ahead of their Northumberland rivals at 19 – 11.
Tynedale hadn’t given up the ghost just yet, and a converted try on 68 minutes brought them within a point.
Percy Park then stretched their lead with a Simon Greatham try, straight from the training ground. Park had won a scrum just outside the Tynedale 22, and John Scott passed from the base of the scrum to Rutter at first receiver. He then ran around to take a short pass and offloaded to Greatham on the charge, who burst through the defence and stepped the cover defence to score under the posts. The 73rd minute conversion took Park to 26 -18.
Tyne immediately responded with a converted try, with two minutes of normal time remaining, bringing them back to within a point at 26 – 25.
Park then countered with an Andy Dunn try in injury time after the forwards battered away at the Tynedale line, with strong runs, by George Purdy and Joe Wafer. The conversion would have put Park in front with Tynedale needing 2 scores to win, however Rutter was off target with the conversion. So, with Park 31 – 25 up with 85 minutes on the stop- watch, play continued. A converted try by Tyne would give them a 1 point win at the death – déjà vu!
The Park players dug deep for the remaining one minute and when Tynedale knocked on in an attack on the Park 10 metre line, the scrum was set and the ball hoofed off the pitch as the final whistle went.
Percy Park had won the Northumberland Senior Cup, to be placed alongside the No2 Cup in the trophy cabinet. This is the first time since 1950, that Percy Park’s 1st XV and Lions have won the Northumberland County Cups in the same year.