NORTH 1 EAST
PERCY PARK 18 – 23 NORTHERN
Northern’s game management was the key to their win at Preston Avenue coupled with a lack lustre performance by the home side. The visitor’s seemed to want the win more and Park looked sluggish at times, although they started brightly as Northern kicked off with the wind and slope advantage.
For the first 4 minutes Percy Park took the play to the visiting side, and should have scored but canny play by one or two of the Northern forwards slowed ball down enough to deny the try but Park did come away with 3 points when Michael Grove kicked a penalty.
Ex Sheffield fly half Donal Collins kicked well pinning Park back after several attacks were repelled. There were good breaks in midfield by Ricki Hasnip and John Scott but the support play wasn’t on hand and scoring opportunities went begging. The best chance came as Josh Hedley made a break for the line but was tackled short and Park couldn’t capitalise on the field position.
Northern levelled the scores with a Collins penalty on 16 minutes and then 2 minutes later it was the Northern fly half who set play going from his own 22 feeding James Crowther who broke through a tackle and made 25 yards before passing inside. The ball went loose but was picked up and a play involving half of the Northern pack saw hooker Henderson pop the ball inside to Kay who found Ludford and his pass five metres out gave lock Dave Snoddin the opportunity to dive over for the try. The conversion gave the McCracken Park side a 10 – 3 lead that they held until the half time break.
Percy Park kicked off the second period but within 2 minutes were further behind. Park were penalised for feeding at the scrum and a quick tap from the free kick found centre Chris Hood who chipped the on coming defence. The hosts seemed to have the ball covered but a moments indecision allowed Hood to gather the ball short of the try line and dive over in one movement for the score for a 17 – 3 lead.
Northern were repeatedly penalised for a number of infringements as Park looked to cut the deficit and eventually scrum half Jimmy Baldwin scampered over for a try as Sean Williamson popped the ball up from the back of a scum. Michael Grove kicked the conversion.
Collins and Grove exchanged penalty kicks for 13 – 20 and then on 74 minutes Donal Collins kicked a drop goal to take his side 10 points clear. Park continued the attack and again Northern conceded penalty after penalty before one of their players was eventually binned. Park opted for a scrum close to the Northern line, and Ethan Wilson who had switched from centre to number 8 went over in the 82nd minute to secure a losing bonus point.
Northern deserved their win, the first against Park for some years. There are no games next week with the Rugby World Cup final.