Northumberland Senior Cup Semi Final
Morpeth 26 – 19 Percy Park
Morpeth deserved their win, and will meet Tynedale in the final at Percy Park next Wednesday. Park started well kicking down the slope with the bright sun at their backs and pinned Morpeth in their own half for the first 5 minutes or so, before conceding a penalty on the 10 metre line which Matthew Jinks duly converted to give the home side an early lead.
Park continued to apply pressure on the Mitford Road men, but somewhat against the run of play it was Morpeth who scored with a fine individual try by Liam Allen who cut through some poor defence in the Park midfield to score under the posts on 20 minutes, and with the Jinks conversion Morpeth led 10 – 0.
Percy Park had chances to hit back, and Brett Sylph was stopped just short of the line, then from a penalty, scrum half Jimmy Baldwin took a quick tap but was stopped short and the ball spilled in contact to relieve pressure on the home side.
Both kickers were on target all night, and Rutter kicked a penalty to reduce the deficit before Jinks responded with another penalty just before the break. With the game heading for half time, there was a bout of fisticuffs on half way, and Morpeth open side, Richy Armstrong was shown a straight red for a head butt.
Percy Park should have made the numerical advantage tell in the second half, but the burly Morpeth pack had other ideas, and more than held their own even with a man down. Jinks and Rutter exchanged more penalties and Park came back to 16 – 12 down, before they were penalised for not releasing and Jinks restored a six point lead on 63 minutes.
Morpeth had managed all game to slow down the Park ball, and played the referee far better than the visitors. Despite being a man down Morpeth scored again with Liam Allen getting a second in similar fashion to his first charging through some pretty inept tackling to score under the posts. With 8 minutes to go Morpeth looked out of site at 26-12, but Park came back strong and Andy Dunn crashed over in the corner on 80 minutes and with Rutter’s conversion the score was now 26 -19.
Park had several chances to score after Morpeth were reduced to 13 men when hooker Charlton went to the bin for repeated infringements. Park ran the ball wide on several occasions but were unable cross the line, often electing to cut back inside at crucial moments making the cover defence job that much easier.
Neither side was at full strength on the night, but Morpeth showed a little more strength in depth, and a greater will to win, which has taken them to another final to meet perennial finalists Tynedale.