Regional 2 North
Percy Park RFC 21 v Northern RFC 41
A limp lettuce of a display.
A distasteful truth is the one that rankles and stays with you. As our beloved ‘Black and Whites’ left the field of play a Northern supporter was heard congratulating his team with the cutting statement “How sh!t were they?”. He wasn’t wrong. It rankled in its screeching joyful delivery and in the knowledge that we, as a team, could do nothing about it. The game was done; the season nearly at an end with no chance to set matters right. Made worse in the knowledge that Northern fielded a weakened side due to a stag weekend, injuries and a sending off. They even had a hooker playing on the wing and still convincingly beat us. We could make excuses but there is no grace in that. Northern played well. At times really well. They adjusted, dug in and won. As Captain Howard Stock alluded to, in his post-match summary, the unavailable players must be really good as the team who had taken the field had competed really well and deserved their victory. To make matters worse the young hooker on the wing also won the traditional boat race. It wasn’t our day. Sometimes you have to take it on the chin and accept we had a bad day at the office and move on.
Ash Smith started the game with a kick deep into the car park corner. Collected by their 8 the back row forward ran through several tackles setting the tone for the game. Brought to ground we went to the scrum where we were well beaten in the front five. Leo Caulfield digging out at the back. We went forward creating an opportunity that was quickly snuffed out. The game went to the scrum. Northern offended leaving Ash Smith an easy penalty kick in front of the posts. Duly taken Park were 3 ahead.
Northerns tactic appeared simple. In possession, their fly half would kick the ball behind the Park attack pinning the home side in their own half. The chase forcing Percy Park to kick to touch. The simple percentage game brought their first try. A line out went to the maul before the delivery to the infield. In the middle their 8 joined the line and (as at the start) the player ran through several tackles to score near to the posts. Easy conversion. 3 to 7.
We responded from the kick off. Ash Smith delivering an exquisite kick to create a line out opportunity. Northern offending in front of the posts. An easy penalty. 6 points to 7. Northern continued their probing, content to catch us and play the game in our 22. A poor box kick had Park in trouble. Northern went to the ‘pick and go’. Their efforts held up, albeit the ball returned to them to attack once more. Their outside centre went through our midfield followed by the fly half. The Northern pack took the ball on before the fly half skipped several tackles to score. The player converting his effort. The score brought the wry observation from the side lines “We are getting our ar@@ kicked”. Our players looked tired and flat. To say that the faithful were surprised was, and is, an understatement.
The next score added to the pitch side despondency. A Northern scrum near to the touch line was nicely worked. The blindside was narrow with very little space to work in. We expected the ball to go wide infield. Northern did the opposite. The Northern scrum half stood off and the 8 attacked along the blind side, taking Charley Miller out with a deft pass to the waiting scrum half. ‘One on one’ with wing Tom Robinson, the Northern player went through the attempted tackle and found himself in acres of space with a free run to the line. The conversion difficult and missed.6 points to 19.
We desperately needed a positive response. We got one from ‘man of the match’ Jonny Dubois. Northern made a mess of the restart allowing Ash Smith a kick to the corner. From the line out we went to the drive. Our first attempt at crossing the Northern try line was stopped by a high tackle on Dubois.
Undeterred we went again and, on this occasion, Jonny Dubois went over for the try. Our celebrations strangely muted. The conversion was missed. On another day Ash Smith would have kicked that conversion in his sleep. We needed half time. Our game was littered with mistakes and ‘give away’ penalties. Fortunately, the Northern fly half didn’t have his penalty kicking boots on as he missed several attempts to increase his team’s lead. 11 points to 19 at the turn.
The second half started badly as Chris Reekie was dispatched to the penalty box for a high tackle. Our player standing up and coming into the Northern player as he ducked into the contact. The hit was high with the referee deeming our second row forward to be dominant. Yellow and Park down to 14 for ten minutes. Northern didn’t waste time in scoring. The subsequent penalty was dispatched to the corner and the catch and drive took them over. Conversion taken.
Percy Park used their bench in an attempt to engender something. Tom Robinson went to scrum half and Vic Nadkarni came into the pack. Seb Reece into the middle. The changes brought a spark to Park’s game and we ‘hit up’ the middle. Northern failed to get low and one of their number was dispatched for a high tackle on Sam Digman. We also went to the line out. Ash Smith taking his team deep into Northern territory. Similar to Northern we went to the catch and drive with Aaron Smith taking the honours with a well worked line out move. The conversion was missed. 16 points to 26.
England youth international Lucas Rowell was introduced to the game at wing. He produced some fine moments. One high catch and run had all supporters purring with delight. You could tell the player had something and you also knew the player wouldn’t be plying his trade at Level 6! It was a bright point and one I am keen to hang onto.
Chris Reekie returned to the fray and for minutes we had numerical advantage. Park couldn’t take advantage. Nicking our line out their number 8 was behind the line and well into our 22. Lucas Rowell bringing him to ground. We couldn’t stop the momentum and were penalised for ‘not releasing’. Northern went to the corner and before the throw was taken restored to 15 men. We defended well and tried to play out the back but failed to clear. The pressure remained. We went from set piece to set piece with Northern content to keep the ball and take us ‘on’ infield. Pressure told and we infringed at a scrum underneath our posts. Easy three points. 16 to 29.
When we attacked, we gave away penalties. The ball returned to our half. If we lost possession Northern used the boot to kick and turn. It was no surprise when Northern added to the score board. The away side took Percy Park to the cricket club corner. Ruck followed ruck. Park failed to defend the blind side. The pick up went to the channel and the dart took the attacking player over. Our players protested the ‘foot in touch’ yet the score stood. Conversion missed.
Wives, mothers, partners and girlfriends were letting the author know their feelings. A lot unprintable, although I can tell you the liberal use of the vernacular abounded. What did please was the passion shown for the game and our team. It means something and that support at home and on the side lines is invaluable. It makes Percy Park strong and it was strength that brought our next score. Ash Smith took Park to the corner. Chris Reekie carried the ball. Determination and sheer ‘bloody mindedness’ took him over. Several Northern players were bounced out of his way and one or two were left hanging onto his ankles. Over for the try and our best individual moment in the game. The conversion missed 21 to 34.
We attacked their line and for a moment it felt as if we had woken up. Northern hung on. Big carries took the home side to the line. Northern cleared, looking to turn defence to the chase and press. Our inability to get dominance at the scrum hurt, as our ball was messy. We couldn’t get into our usual stride. We kept on trying until a loose pass in the middle was intercepted.
With no one at home the score was all about the foot race. Jamie Wrigley made a valiant attempt at the tap tackle. The defence came across forcing the inevitable touchdown away from the posts. The effort to no avail as the conversion took the score to 21-41 and further ire from a female supporter, who gave a one-word response, followed by “stick that in your report”. I think I preferred the word ‘limp’ rather than the one on offer. In truth we all, player and supporter, needed to go to the clubhouse for a drink, chat and a forget. Fortunately, there was no further score. As we trudged off the pitch we knew, and probably didn’t need the reminder from our Northern friend, as to how bad we had been. Having said ‘what goes around comes around’.
Represententing Percy Park RFC.
From 15: Toby Davison, Tom Robinson, Howard Stock, Paul Spowart, Jamie Wrigley, Ash Smith and Charley Miller
From 8: Leo Caulfield, Mikey Fisher, Ross Young, Chris Reekie, Michael Langlands, Sam Digman, Jonny Dubois and Aaron Smith
Finishers: Vikram Nadkarni, Seb Reece and Lucas Rowell.