PERCY PARK 10 – 43 HARROGATE
High flying Harrogate travelled to Preston Avenue looking to avenge their defeat at Claro Road earlier in the season at the hands of Percy Park. After the success of winning the Northumberland Senior Cup on Wednesday evening it was back to league action and Park had to make a few changes due to injury and unavailability. Influential player coaches Michael Stephenson and James Ponton were out, and Craig Fidler was back abroad with work. Ollie Gilmore came in for Jimmy Baldwin at scrum half and Brett Sylph started at number 8 with Ben Bell moving to the bench.
Gate started the game with high intensity that would continue through the first half, and were soon on the score sheet as fly half Callum Irvine dummied and darted through a gap in the Park defence to score under the posts. This seemed like a nailed on 7 pointer, but a chipped conversion was hooked into the left hand post and the ball bounced out.
With the Wednesday game still in their system, the Park players lacked the usual spark and missed several tackles, resulting in Gates second try when hooker Arin Yorke backed up well to score again under the posts with the try converted this time for a 12 – 0 lead in as many minutes. Park’s misery continued as Sam Bottomley scored on 18 minutes to give the visitors a 17 – 0 advantage.
Percy Park were shaken into life and set up possession in the Harrogate half as a maul was driven towards the 22. Number 8 Tim Heaton for Gate was then sin binned for pulling the maul down on 23 minutes, but even with the numerical advantage Percy Park could not make the extra man tell and Harrogate’s defence held firm until the 32nd minute when Phil Morse, in at full back for Michael Stephenson, crossed the line showing good strength taking several defenders with him in the process. Ash Smith continued where he had left off on Wednesday evening and missed with the conversion.
Just before half time Harrogate scored their bonus point try through Heaton after good work by the visiting half back pairing and the conversion took the score at half time to 5 – 24.
In the second half Gate started well again, running everything, even from deep in their own 22. A break by James Bird was snuffed out and Sam Bottomley retrieved the ball and went over for his second try which remained unconverted.
Harrogate scored their 6th try on 57 minutes before Park hit back with a try by Brett Sylph which was not converted.
The final score of the game went to Harrogate who scored a converted try through Sam Brady. On this display it is easy to see why Harrogate are topping National 3 North. A win for them against 3rd placed Sandal should be enough to secure the league title, but Sandal too are a useful outfit and still have designs on reaching the play off spot but that seems as though it will go to Chester.
Park meanwhile travel to Bradford and Bingley, hoping to fare better than they did at home earlier in the season in a game dominated by the Bradford forwards. Winning the remaining 2 games of the season would see Park guaranteed to finish in fourth spot, no mean achievement for their first season at level 5.
Next week the Lions play Middlesbrough Wasps at home, and the Pumas go through to the final of the Northumberland No3 Cup after Whitley Bay Rockcliff conceded the semi-final tie. The Pumas will take on Morpeth Edwardians who currently lead the Northumberland River Aln league. The final will take place at Alnwick and kicks off at 2pm.