Another mid week game for the Lions, Park’s Development team, and another entertaining match, which I’m sure benefited both clubs. Seghill have struggled over the last 2 seasons, and it is good for club rugby in Northumberland that they are now able to field two regular teams. Percy Park used the game to include many young players from the Under 17 and Under 18 squads, and the lads did well, against a very large Seghill pack. The conditions weren’t ideal, with a very strong westerly wind blowing, but it was against the elements that the home side opened the scoring with a try on the right wing from Phil Thompson.
Park scored again soon after when after winning a turnover, scrum half Jimmy Baldwin popped the ball to former skipper Craig Bartle who powered his way through the visitors defence, giving the final pass to his fellow lock forward Eddie Saint to go over. Park kept the ball in hand against the wind, and centre Stephen (Mackie) McPherson had several punishing runs into the heart of the Seghill mid field.
Seghill had arrived short of a scrum half, and Park helped out with Ist XV scrum half John Scott taking their number 9 shirt, and it was he who scored Seghill’s first try getting the touch down from a push over try and their juggernaut pack drove the Park side over the line from a 5 metre scrum. Surprisingly the conversion was missed from under the posts and Park’s lead was cut to 10 -5.
The visitors soon took the lead after a speculative up and under was allowed to bounce by the Park full back, and Seghill retrieve the loose ball. After a couple of phases of play one of the Seghill props picked up and drove over the Park line, and after the successful conversion, Hill led 10 -12.
In the second half, Percy Park regained the lead, with a try from Ross Clark, after the Seghill full back attempted a clearance kick which came back on the wind, and Ian Bradley retrieved and powered into the defence. Good hands from the resulting ruck allowed the Park youngster to cross the line for his debut senior try, and Matthew Dale kicked the conversion to take Park back to 17 -12.
Fellow under 17 Ross Ingles then got on the score sheet for 22 -12, and the final try of the game came after a good handling move by the Park backs, after Stu Denny, back from a 2 year lay off, made good ground and set up quick ball for the Park back line to exploit, with left wing James (Titch) Anderson finishing off.
The final score 27 – 12.