Percy Park 1st XV 11 – 14 Burnage

Morpeth Reivers 8 – 20 Percy Park Lions

Seghill Deputies 7 – 21 Percy Park Penguins

Percy Park Academy 17 – 7 Northern Colts

Percy Park Lions and Penguins booked places in their respective Northumberland Cup Finals, and the Academy beat local rivals Northern, but the 1st XV went down to a last minute try and conversion, bringing back the spectre of the play-off defeat against Burnage two seasons ago. 

A young Lions side won at Mitford Road to set up a final on Saturday 30th March 2013 against Corbridge Centurions who steam rollered Medical 2nd's 68 - 0 in the other semi- final. Park Lions will be looking to take back the cup which they lost last year in a nail biting final against Alnwick II having won the trophy in the 2 previous seasons.

The Penguins defending the trophy won last season, also make it to this year’s final and will meet Novos Centurions who ran out winners 20 - 12 against Tynedale Hadrian in a match that was hastily re-arranged at Corbridge due to the pitches at Sutherland Park being unplayable due to an overnight downpour. Sam Walton scored two tries for Park and Paul Cherry one, with Tony Turner converting all three.

The 1st XV buoyed by their come back last week against Billingham, were on the back foot from the start and Burnage number eight Ollie Hewittson barged over for a try after only 4 minutes as the visitors pressured the Park line after a penalty was kicked to the corner to set up a line-out deep in the Park 22. Fly half Ross Whinney chipped over the conversion to give his side the lead 7 – 0.

Percy Park defended well but were guilty of kicking away too much good possession instead of using their formidable back line which had the beating of their Manchester counterparts. Both sets of forwards were keenly matched, although the visitors back row did have the edge.

The first half was fairly uneventful in the biting wind although skipper Michael Langlands was yellow carded just on half time for repeated infringing and the period ended 7 -0. I

n the second half, Park kicked up the slope but had a tail wind to help them, and Ash Smith made good use of this kicking a penalty on 46 minutes. Park thought they had scored in the right hand corner after quick ball found Ali Blair out wide, but the ball was knocked on just shy of the line. From the scrum however, Park nicked a ball against the head and the ball was shipped wide left and this time Ali Blair crossed the line to score, to give Park a slim 8 – 7 lead. Ash Smith was just left of the post with the conversion from a tight angle.

As with last week, Park played better in the second half and had several scoring opportunities with Jack Davidson coming close but play was pulled back for a 5 metre scrum.

Burnage used the choke tackle to good effect and managed to halt Park drives and turn over possession, but it was from a good driving maul that the hosts set up a great scoring chance with a 20 metre drive by the pack. Park were edging closer to the line when a Burnage player sneaked through the maul and dispossessed scrum half Jimmy Baldwin. There were cries of “foul” from the home supporters but the referee waved play on, and Burnage repelled the attack and set up a counter which ended in a penalty shot at goal which Whinney missed right.

 With very few injuries in the second half, when the 80 minutes were up Park felt as though they may have just sneaked the game after Ash Smith had kicked his second penalty in the 67th minute, but as in the play off, Burnage set up a driving maul which started inside their own half and rumbled ominously close to the Park line. Eventually the maul collapsed and Michael Stephenson was sent to the sin bin. A kick to the corner resulted in another driving maul and this time Park’s other player coach James Ponton was dismissed from the field for collapsing the maul.

 With Park now down to 13 players Burnage battered away at the diminished defences and on 86 minutes drove over for the score which gave them the win. The conversion from Whinney extended the margin to 14 – 11 as the whistle blew.

 Although both sides are now on 60 points and Park have a better point’s difference and more bonus points, Burnage have more wins now, so move up to fourth with Park slipping down one place in the table.

Next week the 1st XV travel to Chester to play a re-arranged league game.

On Friday, Percy Park Pumas were re-instated into the Northumberland No3 Cup and now meet Rockcliff Vikings in the semi, with a date still to be arranged. With only 7 sides entering the Third XV cup, Rock were given a bye straight to the semi. Only 3 third XV’s entered the competition this year (Park, Morpeth and Alnwick), the four remaining sides all being 2nd XV’s.