EDF Energy Senior Vase Round 2
Creighton RUFC 3 – 66 Percy Park RFC
After a fine team effort, Percy Park move on to Round 3 of the EDF Energy Senior Vase with a 66 – 3 win over lower league opposition Creighton. This competition is for sides at level 7 and 8 of the RFU leagues, and was the first cup game of the season with Park receiving a bye in round 1. The Cumbria side Creighton, had beaten Durham & Northumberland 2 side Winlaton Vulcans in round 1.
In soggy conditions with a bracing wind and slope to their advantage, the Carlisle side kicked off, but it was the visitors who scored first with a debut 1st XV try for Ali Blair on 5 minutes after a good miss move from Thomas Turnbull saw the Park left wing in space to score wide out. With a strong wind in his face Rutter’s conversion attempt fell short.
With the referee hot on the new law keeping backs 5 metres behind the scrum, Creighton reduced the deficit to 2 points, with a long range penalty kick after Park were offside. Park were keen to play an expansive 15 man game, and right wing Johnny Gould finished off some good handling to score wide right, with Marcus Rutter converting a difficult kick.
Both sides were guilty of giving away some soft penalties and free kicks, and Park capitalised on one such misdemeanour with a quick tap, and the ball was fed out to Michael Langlands who broke through the home defence and backed himself to score, dummying the last defender rather than off load to Ali Blair in support. With the conversion Percy Park led 3 – 19 after 24 minutes.
Creighton had a chance to pull 3 points back with a penalty, but were unsuccessful. Instead Park stretched their lead, when player coach James Ponton finished off a surging run by Gould who popped the ball inside to Ponton to go over, and on half time the Preston Avenue side led 3 – 24.
The second half was always going to be an uphill task, literally for the host side, but the internal squabbling between their players didn’t help the cause, much to their coach’s chagrin. James Ponton left the field to be replaced by Joe Wafer, and Percy Park scored 2 push over tries at the hands of Brett Sylph with Rutter converting both. The Park full back then scored 2 tries of his own showing good footwork and pace, and a flawless second half kicking display, taking the score line to Creighton 3 – 52 Percy Park.
The game went to uncontested scrums after Creighton lost 2 of their front row to injury, and with the onset of rain, this put a dampening effect on hitherto free scoring spell of play. Liam Blackburn moved to the wing to allow Ali Blair to play in his usual centre position, and scored Park’s final 2 tries of the game, both converted by a rejuvenated Marcus Rutter.
With Park now on 66 points, the referee called the game to an end, with some minutes still to play, and the Tyneside team are now in the hat for the 3rd Round draw. This competition does bring up some one sided games, not least Horden’s 100 – 7 demolition of North Shields, and may not survive the RFU restructuring programme next season.