Park move to top of the table ahead of Hartlepool Rovers on points difference, after a sound win against Alnwick. The conditions were ideal for rugby and both sides contributed to a fast and entertaining game which Park won 30 - 0. Percy Park kave only conceded 1 try in the first 3 games and 8 points in total, amassing 112 in the points for column.
Percy Park kicked off into a wind, and the sun, and from the start applied pressure on the visitor's defence, which held firm, in fact the first 10 minutes was all Park with several last ditch tackles preventing the home side from going over the line. Park had most of the possession as well as territory, but were penalised on a number of occasions in the visitors red zone releasing the pressure.
It wasn't until 15 minutes had passed that Alnwick actually crossed into the Percy Park half. Liam Blackburn was halted just short of the Alnwick line, as was Wayne Dobson, and scrum half John Scott made a telling break and run for the try line only to trip 10 metres out.The first score came on 30 minutes when Park were awarded a scrum, and had a numerical advantage when the Alnwick tight head prop had been sin binned for slowing up the ball near his try line.
Brett Sylph picked up from number 8 but was stopped short, but Alnwick were penalised, and the skipper took a quick tap from 5 metres and crashed over. Simon Greetham was unable to convert the extra points.Although the visitors had the wind advantage, they had been starved of the ball for long periods, but towards the end of the first half threatened the Park line, only to lose the ball, and Phil Morse cleared to touch to relieve the pressure.
With the first period coming to an end, Alnwick decided to run a counter attack from their own 22, only to be penalised for holding on, and Simon Greatham kicked a penalty to take an 8 - 0 lead into the break.Park had the advantage of the elements in the second half and used kicks to the corner to good effect to keep the visitors penned in their own half. 10 minutes into the second period.,
Park were awarded a scrum inside the Alnwick 22. Captain Brett Sylph picked up and charged for the line, fending off would be tacklers. Realising he was going to make the line, he cheekily passed the ball behind his back to the supporting James Ponton who went over the line under the posts to score. Simon Greetham stepped up and took the extra points on offer.
Marcus Rutter came on for Johnny Gould and took up the fly half position with Thomas Turnbull reverting to the right wing.Man of the match John Scott was causing Alnwick a lot of problems with quick breaks around the ruck area, and made a darting run to set up Liam Blackburn for a scoring opportunity, but the pass went forward. With 57 minutes on the clock Alnwick were penalised inside their own half, and from 40 metres out Simon Greetham extended the Park tally to 18 points with the penalty kick.
From the kick off Park moved the ball back into the Alnwick half, but lost possession, and the visitors cleared their lines, but the kick didn't make touch but found left wing Liam Blackburn who ran through several attempted tackles and broke through to score a fine individual try, and with another Greetham conversion Park led 25 - 0.
Percy Park have the best defensive record in the league so far and wanted to make sure the visitors did not get on the score board. When Phil Morse took a quick line out to Andy Dunn, the hooker was tackled behind the Park support. Alnwick came close to scoring on a couple of occasions the closest being when Brett Sylph high tackled winger Shell, and was lucky not to go to the sin bin, as a clear scoring opportunity had been thwarted.
The final score of the game came in injury time with a disputed try. Park had a series of scrums close to the Alnwick line and were going for a push over try, but the Northumbrians held firm and scrum after scrum was reset. Brett Sylph again picked up from the base of a scrum only to be stopped inches short of the line. Thomas Turnbull picked up the loose ball and dived over the line, and the try was awarded, but hotly disputed by the Alnwick skipper Stu Archer, who felt Turnbull had picked up the ball whilst on the ground and therefore out of the game. The try however stood, and Park were awarded a penalty from the restart for the dissent.
Phil Morse stepped up with no time remaining to attempt the penalty kick from half way but was unsuccessful, and Park had won 30 - 0.
Park's development team the Lions won 48 - 33 against Tynedale Grasshoppers and retain top spot in Northumberland League 2b. Ali Blair and new signing Dale Jones both scored hatricks, and for Blair this was his eighth try in 2 games. The Pumas beat Alnwick III 43 - 17 but Park Marauders lost at Seghill.