Saturday 14 December 2024
Percy Park 10 Heath 42
Regional 1 North East
(HT: 5-21)
Heath RUFC made their first ever visit to Preston Avenue and in what was always going to be a tough encounter for the home side, they ran out 10-42 victors in what was a comprehensive victory. Injuries have not helped the Percy Park cause so far this season and a red card late on made life even more difficult. Heath were good value for their win, a dominant scrum enabling them to score six converted tries and, apart from the first few minutes, they mostly controlled the game. A slightly shorter match report this week as I was unfortunately not present at the game and am relying solely on the match video but I am led to understand that the highlight of the day for the Park faithful was the pre-match Christmas Lunch as opposed to the game itself which was somewhat of an anti-climax.
On a dry but overcast day, Heath kicked off and were straight on the attack, but a high tackle gave the home side the chance to clear their lines. From the lineout, scrum half Andrew Walker kicked ahead, gathered and stormed into the Heath 22 and when finally tackled gave the perfect offload to Leo Caulfield who scored wide out on the left. An excellent start after two minutes, the try unconverted (5-0). However, Heath were able to hit back immediately, a great tackle from prop Jack Pilcher in midfield handing Heath possession and excellent interplay between the visiting centres had outside centre Dominic Horn run in for the try to the right of the posts, converted on five minutes by Chris Johnson (5-7).
The score seemed to lift Heath who through their forwards began to exert real pressure. A high tackle by second row Chris Reekie in the home 22 saw him shown a yellow card with the penalty kicked into the right corner. Park quickly conceded another penalty at the lineout and a quick tap had the Park defence stretched enabling flanker Harvey Keithley-Payne to score, again to the right of the posts, on twelve minutes. Johnson converted (5-14). The Heath forwards were relentless but dogged defence kept them out but as Reekie came back onto the field, yet another penalty for a high tackle enabled Heath to attack from a lineout in the Left corner. Although a succession of drives were stopped, second row Seif Boussaada had the strength to crash over to the right of the posts, Johnson converting on twenty-five minutes (5-21).
From the restart, a huge clearance kick from Johnson again had Park under pressure but there was no further score.
HT: Percy Park 5 Heath 21
Park kicked off the second half but two quick penalties, both for not rolling away after the tackle, had Heath with a lineout in the left corner. Park stole the ball on their line, but the clearance kick was charged down with Heath flanker Ben Stringer on hand to score their bonus point try. Forty-five minutes played with Johnson converting the score (5-28). Park simply could not get into the game and with the visiting pack dominant, possession was limited. The pressure was such that the Park penalty count rose as the game progressed and it was from several infringements that Heath gained a scrum just inside the home 22. They put the pressure on and sent the home eight backwards for No 8 Tom Clough to touch down on 60 minutes, Johnson again converting (5-35).
It was suddenly Heath who began to give penalties away and give Park some possession. A succession of infringements gave the home side a chance to tap from almost underneath the posts and as the ball was moved left flanker Leo Caulfield had the strength to wriggle over on the left with sixty-five minutes played. The try was unconverted (10-35). Almost from the restart, a yellow card for Heath prop Jack Pilcher, gave the home side impetus but Heath held firm with, eventually, a penalty for crossing by the home side helping to relieve the pressure. A storming run along the left touchline from prop Tristan Grant came to nothing when the ball was knocked on and from the resultant scrum, Heath scored the try of the match, a 50 metre burst from centre Ezra Hinchliff eventually being finished by scrumhalf Dom Walsh on seventy minutes, Johnson again converting (10-42).
There was no more scoring but shortly before the end of the match, another high tackle from Chris Reekie earned him a second yellow followed by a red card to end a very disappointing game for the home side.
FT: Percy Park 10 Heath 42
Heath fully deserved the win; their pack was very strong and their halfbacks Johnson and Walsh controlled the game extremely well. Heath remain in fifth place in the Regional 1 North East table with Park slipping down to nineth. It is now our fourth straight loss in the league with just one more league game to play before the festive break. We thank them for the game and wish them well for the remainder of the season. Our thanks too to our referee.
The Lions were also at home on Saturday, losing to a strong Middlesbrough Wasps side 14-38 but on Sunday, the Panthers won a hard fought game at home to Ponteland 17-12 to maintain their title bid in NC3 North (North).
Next week, the 1st XV travel to Ilkley in their final league game of 2024, KO is 2pm. On Boxing Day, Park take on Whitley Bay Rockcliff in our annual Festive fixture at Preston Avenue. with the Colts kicking things off against their Hillheads opponents at 11.30am for the Albi Duhrin Cup. The senior game is at 1.30pm with the NUFC vs Aston Villa on the big screen in the Clubhouse from 3pm. It should be a great day. All support for the above fixtures would be most appreciated.
Percy Park: 15 Jordan Carey; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Seb Reece; 12 Paul Spowart; 11 Tom Robinson; 10 Ash Smith; 9 Andrew Walker; 8 Matthew French; Leo Caulfield; 6 Harry Paul; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Keith Laughlin; 3 Tristan Grant; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Louis Adamson
Replacements: Sean Nairn; Jacob German; Charley Miller