NORTHERN 10 - 11 PERCY PARK
Park ended Northern's unbeaten league run by a single point, in the tightest of games, thanks to the boot of Phil Morse, but it could have been so different if Northern's Robbie Thomas had slotted his penalty with the last kick of the match.
Giles Tipsword came back into the side after his aged bones were rested for the Horden game the previous week, and Chris Reekie also returned to the pack with George Purdy dropping to the bench. Ash Smith also came into the side for the "under the weather "Morse who started on the bench but came on at full back for the last 10 minutes.
It was the brightest of starts for the visitors who scored a try after only a minute and a half, when Michael Langlands crashed the ball up from a short line out in the Northern 22. From the resulting ruck, scrum half Jimmy Baldwin, broke blind to feed Brett Sylph who stepped inside the fullback to score. The try remained unconverted.
On 9 minutes Ash Smith extended Park's lead when Northern were adjudged offside, and the home side were now down by eight points to nil. Shortly afterwards the game was stopped for some time when Ali Womack was stretchered off with a suspected broken leg, adding to Northern's injury woes, who are now missing 5 Ist XV players with broken bones of one description or another.
The break in play seemed to unsettle Park more than it did Northern, as the visitors went into their shell, allowing the McCracken Park side more possession. The home side battered the Park line relentlessly, with the visitors giving away penalty after penalty, in their desperate defence of the line. Eventually referee Tony Parlett's patience ran out and Carl Griffiths was sent to the sin bin. Northern took full advantage of the numerical superiority and scored a try when Ian Gerrard powered over the line after a scrumage on the Park 5 metre line. Robbie Thompson kicked the conversion, and Park's lead was cut to a solitary point.
Half time came and went, and the second period was a dour affair, with both side's defences snuffing out the attacking ball. Ash Smith missed a penalty chance, then Northern took the lead with a penalty from Thompson. The only real moment of excitement was when Liam Casey intercepted a pass in the Northern back line, with the full back up and a clear run to the line beckoning, only for play to be brought back for a previous Park infringement.
The normally accurate Park fly half was struggling a little with the boot against a deceptively strong wind, and missed a further penalty attempt. When Northern infringed again in their own half, Phil Morse was given the kicking duty, but he too was unable to retake the lead.
With time running out, Park had a final chance in injury time to take the match when they were awarded a penalty after a great surging run by skipper Greg Dixon. This time Morse made sure and Percy Park were back in front 10 - 11.
With only seconds remaining Park conceded a penalty inside their own half, and up stepped Thompson to try and snatch the win at the death. It was not to be, and Park took the win and two valuable points, knocking Northern off the top spot now occupied by Billingham.
On the adjacent pitch Park Lions lost out narrowly to Northern Wanderers 5 - 3. When down to 13 men the visitors had a chance to take the game with a kickable penalty, but a rush of blood, and youthful over exuberance, saw the Park scrum half tap and go, but ultimately was stopped short of the line. Back at home, Percy Park Pumas won 18 -14 against Northern Gypsies.
Next week Park's IST XV play Ponteland at Preston Avenue, kick off 2.15 pm.