Percy Park 32 - 13 Driffield
Park's First Try
Seeing so many players there from all the sides, but all the 1st XV players to a man, supporting a club function was great and showed the true spirit of the club,(ok Fidler was baby-sitting) but his mam and dad were there!
Anyway back to the game. Park started at a rare pace, and spent the first 10 minutes or so camped in the visitors half, until they were awarded a penalty which Rutter kicked to open his account. Lee Birch for Driffield responded with a penalty of his own then on 21 minutes the pacey young centre, scored an excellent individual try carving his way through the Park backline to score under the posts and then kicked the conversion to give his side a 10 – 3 lead.
Memories of the game at Kellythorpe came flooding back when Birch won the game for Driffield almost single handed with a points tally of 33 in their 43 – 22 victory.
In the first scrummage of the game when Park were near the Driffield line, the visiting pack had disrupted the Park set piece, but on 29 minutes, Driffield had the put in to a scrum in their 22, and Park drove them off the ball, with skipper Brett Sylph picking up and driving into their defence. The ball was offloaded to fellow back row Michael Langlands who barged over the line to score. The conversion from wide out was on target for Rutter and the scores were again level.
Two minutes later, and with Park again on the attack, John Scott was tackled high, and a penalty was awarded, but Rutter’s attempt hit the post. The final play of the game was with the Yorkshiremen who were given a penalty in front of the posts and just outside the ten metre line, which Birch kicked, followed by the whistle for half time.
In the second period, Park continued to attack, and whilst they had the measure of the Driff forwards, their backs were a potent force and could turn defence into attack at any time. With the home side pressing the Driffield line, the visitors scrum half showed how dangerous they could be breaking from 5 metres out and making ground up to the half way line, with a kick putting Park all the way back to their 22.
Jimmy Baldwin for Park then made a break of his own, making 30 yards before offloading to Rutter then Brett Sylph took on the ball to the visitor’s 22 before being stopped and penalised for holding on to the ball in the tackle.
Anthony Dunn joined the fray as he replaced young Austin Phillips, and was quickly into the action after several weeks lay off due to injury. On the hour mark, Park won a line- out inside the Driffield 22 and scored through Michael Langlands from a catch and drive. Rutter’s kick again unluckily hit the post and bounced out.
Rutter made amends eight minutes later with a penalty after the vistors were penalised for hands in the ruck; this after open side Greg Dixon had made a blistering break down the right wing.
Park were 18 – 13 up and elected to run ball from deep rather than kick for territory, and were caught in possession on half way. The turn over gave Driffield an attacking opportunity, but a loose pass was kicked through by Ash Smith and with he and Rutter haring after it he kicked the ball through again and touch down over the line. Rutter converted as Park eased into a 25 – 13 lead.
In the forwards, Chris Reekie and Brett Sylph were both making hard yards and carried the ball well, and in the backs Marcus Turner made some telling breaks. One such break on 77 minutes made Park’s last try as he broke the line before off loading to Ash Smith, who then passed to Lim Blackburn on the left wing to go over for the score. With the conversion by Rutter, this made the final score 32 – 13, and Park players and supporters were delighted.
The win moved Park up to eighth in the league and with