SSE NATIONAL 3 NORTH
PERCY PARK 11 – 18 HUDDERSFIELD
Park hosted second placed Huddersfield, and were looking for a return to form after last week’s loss at
Burnage. A couple of changes to the side saw George Lewis move back to scrum half and centre Alex Tilley also moved in one place to fly-half. Jimmy Ponton returned to the back row and Alan Blakey came in to the front row after being unavailable last week.
The home side started well enough with George Lewis coming close to scoring after a trade mark break through the mid field, only to be judged held up on the try line. 2 penalties from the boot of “man of the match” Toby Davison gave Park a 6 – 0 after 22 minutes. Park had more of the first half territory and possession and when Huddersfield’s skipper Nick Sharpe was sin-binned for back chat to the referee on 23 minutes should have taken advantage of the numerical superiority, but the Yorkshiremen’s gritty defence held firm and they were the ones to score next when fly half Tom Hodson kicked a penalty as Park were penalised for coming into the side of a ruck.
Restored to 15 again Huddersfield equalised with another Hodson penalty just before half time. The visitors chose to spend the break in the comfort of the changing room, whereas Park stayed on the pitch.
In the second half it was all Percy Park but despite wave after wave of attack, they could not breach the visitors defence. Eventually after Park were awarded a penalty on the Huddersfield 5 metre line, a quick tap was passed to Michael Birkett who drove over the line for the unconverted touch-down.
Leading 11 – 6 and with 15 minutes of normal time left, lock Austin Phillips was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on in the red zone and Park were down to 14 men. Inexplicably a minute later Josh Hedley committed a similar infringement in front of the posts reaching across a ruck and batting the ball out the Huddersfield scrum half’s hands, and he too was shown a yellow card and now Park were down to 13.
The Yorkshiremen made the numbers tell and scored through hooker Ben Morrel and the scores were level.
From the kick off, the ball did not go 10 metres and Park were again on the back foot. Huddersfield upped the pressure again and Tom Hodson went over on 79 minutes to take the lead and his conversion gave his side a 18 – 11 lead.
Percy Park tried and tried for the next 5 minutes and when Nick Sharpe was given a second yellow card, Park tried to scrummage their opposition over the line, but it was not to be. A disappointed coach Ed Midcalf after the game summed it all up as “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory”
Park’s other 3 senior sides were also in action, with the Lions going down 38 – 17 at Corbridge to Tynedale Raiders. Meanwhile at home, The Pumas won 48 – 17 against Consett II, staking their claim to move back to the top of the league if Sunderland II or Morpeth Edwardians slipped up. The Marauders also won 33 – 17 against Ashington III making it 2 wins out of two in recent weeks.
Next week the 1st XV travel to Morley to take on the bottom of the league side, whereas the Lions play Candy League 1 leaders Darlington Mowden Park II at Preston Avenue. The Pumas play Berwick Bears at home, and the Marauders are away to Blyth III.