Percy Park 36 – 15 Northern
Park had won the earlier encounter between the two sides at McCracken Park, and were looking to exercise a few ghosts from last week’s topsy-turvy performance. The visitors were looking for some well needed points to keep them out of the drop zone, back to Durham & Northumberland 1.
Park got off to a bright start with an early try after only 3 minutes, when Howard Stock crossed the line after a good break by skipper John Scott. The try in the right hand corner, meant a difficult conversion shot for Ash Smith, and the kick at goal dropped short.
Northern came straight back and a try from full back Jon Job, after a patient build up, levelled the scores. A nice inside pass by fly half Andy Sutherland put Job through the gap and under the posts, making the conversion attempt, a simple one, as the visitors took the lead 5 – 7.
For the next ten or so minutes, the visitors took the game to Park, who were penned in their own half, for a sustained period, but Northern couldn’t add to their slim lead. Park did eventually break out and John Scott came close to scoring after a weaving run, ducking under several tackles, took the scrum half up to the Northern try line. Park were awarded a penalty, and instead of the kick at goal opted for a scrum. The ball was not controlled at the back, and scrum half Tom Evans picked up the scraps, but the visitors were again penalised. This time the kick at goal was taken, but surprisingly missed, from almost in front of the posts.
Ash Smith soon made amends for his missed penalty and scored a brace of tries on 27 and then 37 minutes. The first try came from a good scrum in the visitors half and the ball was passed left with Ash Smith coming into the line at pace. With Phil James, the Northern winger staying out on his wing, Smith carved through the gap to score. The try was unconverted.
The next try was well set up by Craig Firth who broke several tackles with a strong run in midfield, after Park picked up on a loose Northern ball. The attack was stopped on the five metre line, but quick recycling saw
With the minutes ticking away towards the end of the first half, true to recent form, Park conceded a kickable penalty and Andy Sutherland made them pay with three points and the gap narrowed to 15 – 10, as the half time whistle went.
Although Park’s back line looked dangerous with ball in hand, the team as a whole was not playing with cohesion, and a lack lustre ten minute spell after the break allowed Northern back in the game with an unconverted try by Northern skipper Paul Brady.
Park did break the deadlock on the hour mark, when a penalty was kicked to the corner. The ball was won and a drive set up, which Northern repelled, but the ball was recycled, and eventually Andy Dunn crashed over for a try, which Ash Smith converted for a 22 – 15 lead, and a bonus point.
John Scott then stretched the lead after Ali Blair had been stopped close to the line. Quick possession allowed the Park scrum half to dart over the line, and with the conversion a gap was beginning to emerge as Park led 29 – 15.
Three minutes later with Northern chasing the game, an interception was pounced on by Ali Blair on the left wing, and he raced the 60 metres to the line to score under the posts. Rich Holmes for Northern despairingly dived on the Park winger after he scored, earning himself a yellow card. The formality of the conversion took Park into a 36 – 15 lead, which was how the game ended.
Next week it is another home game as the 1st XV play Carlisle at Preston Avenue.