Carlisle 30 – 10 Percy Park
Phil Thompson
Scores His Second 1st XV Try
Carlisle’s win moves them out of the relegation zone, and puts Park firmly in the mire. As the curtain draws on the season, Percy Park have four games remaining in which to put some wins together to ensure they stay in North One East next season. With two more away games in the following two weeks, next Saturday’s game is a must win fixture for the boys in black and white.
Park made several enforced changes to the regular side with several Lions players coming into the squad for the trip to Warwick Road. Carlisle had lost the encounter at Preston Avenue early in the season when the fixture was moved to North Shields due to the Cumbrian floods, but even in defeat they looked a useful outfit, and on Saturday proved too strong for a makeshift Park team.
The home side started well with a penalty by Weightman on two minutes, and the Carlisle fly half had a chance to double the score two minutes later but hooked his kick wide of the uprights. The early exchanges were all Carlisle and in the first quarter Park rarely ventured out of their own half.
Carlisle scored their first try through fullback Lewis Boyd after a well executed line out gave the home side backs quick off the top ball. A missed tackle in midfield allowed Carlisle through the Park defensive line and the sprightly full back finished off a well worked try, although Weightman missed the conversion attempt.
Percy Park had a chance to put points on the board after a high tackle on George Purdy, but the fluffed penalty attempt left the score at 8 – 0. Park were under the cosh and on the half hour conceded yet another penalty which Weightman slotted. Just before half time the home side were awarded a further penalty but Weightman was again wide of the mark, so at half time
Carlisle led 11 – 0 and it was hair drier treatment from coach Ponton.
The second half couldn’t have started worse for Park, as missed tackles put burly winger Lee Tinnion into space down the right hand side and he beat the despairing tackle of Phil Morse at full back to score to take a 16 – 0 lead.
Park reshuffled the pack with Wes Casey coming off, and Karl Campbell moved into the second row to allow Richy Dawson into the vacant back row slot. Soon after another reshuffle in the back line saw Ash Smith move to full back, Martin Shaw to centre and John Scott moved across one to fly half to make way for Jimmy Baldwin off the subs bench.
The change in the backs seemed to perk up Park, and Phil Thompson scored a try on the left wing after a Baldwin break put the young wing into space in the corner on 53 minutes. Ash Smith took the conversion but couldn’t add the extra points.
Although Percy Park had several chances, they couldn’t capitalise on the better second half possession, whereas the home side were more decisive with the ball in hand. A two on one on 58 minutes allowed full back Boyd to go over for his second try which was converted by Weightman for a 23 – 5 lead.
The best try of the game came from an excellent individual effort by centre Chris Harris. Carlisle had the ball in their own half, and a grubber kick through by Weightman was retrieved by Harris when it seemed as though the ball was in the hands of Park’s Liam Blackburn. The centre made the ball his own and shrugged off three Park players to create a gap, and he was off, his pace taking him under the posts and with the conversion Carlisle now led 30 – 5 with 20 minutes remaining.
On 74 minutes Adam Fidler was sent to the sin bin, but fortunately for Park Weightman was off target with the penalty in front of the posts. Park scored a consolation try at the end through Chris Reekie to take the final score to 30 – 10. The referee allowed Fidler on to the pitch having been in the bin for 14 minutes, and then blew for the end of the match.
Next week Park make the relatively short trip to Darlington in a game that will could determine the fate of either side. Park will need a massive change in form having only won one game away from home all season. Darlington took the points at Preston Avenue, so will no doubt be favourites.
