Regional 2 North
Durham City RFC 5 v Percy Park RFC 31
Scrummage delight as Durham struggle with yellow
For the first time this season the author is struggling to find any subject matter to wax lyrical. Drama usually follows Percy Park on match day Saturday allowing many a word to be written. On a damp overcast afternoon deep in a Durham hollow, Percy Park were efficiently ruthless in their trade that a ‘game’ Durham side had nowhere to go but the Referees notebook. Three yellow cards blotted their day, yet in their defence they were under so much pressure that persistent offending could be forgiven, as they tried to cope with a dominant Percy Park pack. If we are to find any criticism of our performance it is our ability to unnecessarily ‘bicker’ with each other (even when the game is going well) and to question referee’s decisions. Being marched back for a careless word really is a bane, especially when it gives the opposition ability to clear their half.
The day started well. Team dispatch was really positive. The news that Ash Smith was returning to our back line at fly half brought an eager anticipation of the game ahead. His return coupled with the announcement that speedster Jamie Wrigley would be at strike, ‘wet the lips’ with the hope that our back line would let loose. With Sam Digman taking a berth in the second row, adding that little bit of grit into an already impressive pack, assured the bonhomie as we took our seats for the journey south toward the land of the Prince Bishops. Our jolly red-faced driver, who bore a remarkable resemblance to TinTin dressed as an eskimo, provided the entertainment, arriving at Hollowdrift in a time that could only be beaten by Concorde. All we needed now was for our team to deliver and they did that in some style taking only 32 seconds to register their first try of the day.
Durham City kicked off; kicking long into the hands of centre Ross Young as the player lingered behind the Percy Park receivers. The ball went left through the hands of Ash Smith arriving into the grateful hands of Jamie Wrigley. Progress was made along the left wing before the covering tackle was beaten by the pass inside to Captain Seb Reece. Reece took his team deep into home territory before chipping the ball into space and around the full back. Jamie Wrigley was on his shoulder to collect and take the ball behind the posts to score. With Smith taking the easiest of conversions, Park were ahead by 7.
Durham restarted the game by delivering the ball back to Ross Young and (yes you’ve got it) we went wide. Only for Durham to scramble and break down the attack. The first scrum was all about Park. The away side dominated and Durham went backwards. Throughout the game Percy Park never lost that platform. Scrum half Charley Miller was enjoying the ride. His long pass to Young with Smith coming on the outside was causing all sorts of problems for the home side.
With the new tackle laws on the wind there was no surprise when the referee penalised Durham for a high tackle on hooker Dan Shuttleworth. Marginal yet something we are all going to have to get used to.
A missed tackle gave Durham their first foray. Ash Smith wept around with Toby Davison providing the clearing kick. Percy Park were playing with some elan. A bullet pass which cannoned off Michael Langlands chest prevented a try scoring opportunity. Park were hungry for the ball and working hard off it. Our desire to keep the ball was demonstrated by Charley Miller when he unwittingly took the ball off the Durham scrumhalf and attempted to place the ball in the tunnel whilst being tapped on the shoulder by the referee. Cannot knock youthful enthusiasm!
The home side began to enjoy some possession choosing to run the ball. A Josh Hedley tackle brought a meaningful attack to an end. The ball was being run on every occasion. An overthrow was collected by Miller and thrown down the line. The game was fast. Durham offended and the resulting penalty took Percy Park spiralling down the line. A catch and drive toward the try line was brought to the ground with the subsequent pick up and drive lost in the tackle. Not that it mattered as Percy Park took the ball ‘against the head’ and rocked Durham onto a sliding back foot. Michael Langlands kept the ball ‘at feet’ before providing the coup de grace. Conversion missed. Park ahead by 12.
Another great scrum by Park provided the platform to release Jamie Wrigley. The player was unable to beat the second man. The resulting line out wasn’t straight and Park went back to the scrum. Platform given and we went again. Frustrating as we lost the ball in the middle and although we won the next scrum we took too long to deliver. The faithful hoped that a pattern wasn’t emerging where we were wasteful of our possession. It was a momentary worry as Howard Stock collected a high ball with some panache releasing the marauding Jamie Wrigley. Park went with real pace onto the Durham try line. A touch of fortune at the ruck. A Charley Miller fumble aided by a stray hand went backwards to be collected by Ross Young who darted over the line to score. The conversion slid past the post. Park ahead by 17.
Durham were stung and came back to be met by some disciplined defence. A strong punch through by Durhams centre broke several tackles before he was enveloped by the covering players. Our forwards were working hard in defence covering the pitch, forcing the attacking player out wide and into touch. Park looked well organised and well drilled. As the half approached our erstwhile President made some remark that was met with derision and a comparison with a balloon! We were looking good at the turn and the faithful were relaxed and in good spirits. We even managed a conversation with ‘our Jobba’ going into some detail concerning wheat intolerance. It was inspiring stuff!
Durham received the ball to commence the second period of the game. They kept the ball well but went no where with it. Park’s defence was really good. Yet there is a saying ‘patience is a virtue’ and the home side kept plugging away. Percy Park absorbed. The line held albeit gradually creeping back toward our 22. Durham were enjoying a good period of possession, only to be held following a decent effort from the catch and drive. From the resulting melee the referee deemed Toby Davison to be offside in the red zone and dispatched the player to the bin on a yellow.
Although a man down Percy Park kept their shape and discipline stealing ball and clearing lines. Aaron Smith gave way to Mikey Fisher and Park reorganised. Impressive stuff from the away side. They kept ball and stayed in the Durham half. Jonny Dubois was putting in a shift. Durham frustration mounted with Durham’s Peter Dent being sent to the bin for clearing out Charley Miller. Fortunately, our ginger rocket bounced and shrugged off the bigger man’s attention with a roll and dodge move learnt on the Bigg Market paving stones.
Level numbers seemed to put our team in a little spin. We went off our feet giving the home side territory and when we did recover, we gave ball away with a poor line out. The travelling support were not downhearted for too long as our forwards destroyed Durham in the scrum. With dominance reasserted and Toby Davison restored to the game Percy Park attacked the line. A series of ‘pick and goes’ had Durham on the back foot and struggling to prevent forward momentum. The referees arm was in the air. Durham were infringing. Advantage was being played and only came to a stop when Josh Hedley was held up over the line. The action didn’t stop there as the referee went to his pocket dispatching a Durham player on another yellow. One went off and another came on with Peter Dent re-joining his side.
Percy Park really needed to score and that came from another scrum on Durham’s 5. An almighty shove got the pack moving and they didn’t stop until they were well over the line. The ball appeared to be at the back foot for an age which didn’t help one or two aging hearts in the stand. Leo Caulfield the scorer. Even then one of the travelling faithful wasn’t happy as the ball wasn’t grounded in between the posts! Park ahead by 24 points.
Paul Spowart replaced Toby Davison in the back line and moved to the 10 slot. Ash Smith shuffled along to 12 and Jamie Wrigley reverted back to his customary position at 15. Perhaps we were in too much control because we started to brass the referee off with chippy comments and yes we were walked back 10. The question all were asking was ‘Why do we have to do that?’ Fortunately, we got back to playing some rugby.
Durham knew that the game had gone and were playing for pride. The tackling became ferocious. We held our line and met fire with a little of our own. Albeit Ross Young took to the limp, being replaced by Toby Davison. A fine tackle by Seb Reece dented a Durham progression and some awesome ‘hands’ had Mikey Fisher taking a great line to break the home side defence. With the game in broken play Ash Smith put in a cross kick that just missed the waiting hand. Unlucky but great heads-up rugby. The Durham line out wasn’t straight and we went to the scrum with Andy Dunn replacing Jonny Dubois at 6. Seven and half minutes to go.
A great effort from the set piece had Park flowing forward. Jamie Wrigley causing all sorts of problems. The player was in the midst of all that Park were doing. Park were camped and looking for a way across the try line. A series of penalties came. The first for not rolling away. The second a back foot offence the third for being in front. The referee had had enough and the yellow was brandished high in the sky with the Durham 7 striding off head bowed. Percy Park took the scrum and drove Durham over the line for their final try of the game. Leo Caulfield once more. Try converted.31 nil with 3 minutes to go.
Andy Dunn took the ball in and we were a little slow getting over the ball. Tired bodies. Durham went with the quick penalty and went wide. Park shipped across. The home side kept the ball alive into our 22. We brought the attack to the stop, however a series of ‘pick and goes’ got them over for the consolation try. The missed conversion bringing the game to an end.
A great performance from our side that had Head Coach Ash Smith delighted “ We were dominant all over the pitch and our scrummaging won us the game. I think we could have scored a few more but overall really happy with the boys! Won 5 on the trot in the league so hoping we can extend that number by one away at Penrith next weekend”
Represententing Percy Park RFC:
From 15: Toby Davison, Jamie Wrigley, Seb Reece, Ross Young, Howard Stock, Ash Smith and Charley Miller.
From 8: Michael Langlands, Leo Caulfield, Jonny Dubois, Sam Digman, Josh Hedley, Matty Atkinson, Dan Shuttleworth and Aaron Smith.
Finishers: Mikey Fisher, Andrew Dunn and Paul Spowart.
The author reserves the right to eyesight failures and promises to award all tries in the future to Paul Spowart.