NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINAL
PERCY PARK 43 – 27 MORPETH
Percy Park and Morpeth opened up the Northumberland Senior Cup for the 2014/15 season with a cracker of a game which thoroughly entertained both partisan supporter and neutral alike. With this being the only mid-week game, the others being played on Saturday 30th August, there were a number of spectators from other Northumberland clubs who were entertained to some fast flowing rugby.
Park showed their intentions early on by running everything, but came unstuck when ball was spilled inside their 22, which was snaffled by Morpeth and wing Deven Rees raced to the line to score the opening try under the posts, an easy conversion for Karl Birch inside 2 minutes.
Park struck back 4 minutes later after an Ali Blair break found full back Toby Davidson in support for the try. Ash Smith hit the post in the conversion attempt so Morpeth were still ahead 7 – 5.
The home side looked dangerous in open play and several penalties were taken quickly to keep up the momentum in the game, but it was Morpeth who increased their lead with a Birch penalty.
On 19 minutes Park threatened on the left wing when Harry Thorpe was stopped short of the try line, the ball was quickly re-cycled right with Ali Blair denied a try by some stern defence, but the offload found Andy Dunn in support to go over for the score which Ash Smith converted to put the black and white in front 12 -10.
Both back lines were receiving plenty of ball and after an Ash Smith break out, Ali Blair found wing Harry Thorpe on hand to step inside the cover defence to score on 22 minutes. Ash Smith kicked the conversion with an in off the post.
In an end to end first half Morpeth kept in touch with a try by Adam Grieve who intercepted a pass in the Park half to go over for a try converted by Karl Birch on the half hour to bring Morpeth within 2 point at 19 – 17.
Park kept the score-board ticking with a regulation penalty in front of the post by Smith before Morpeth were awarded a penalty which they opted to kick to the corner. From the resulting line out the visitors mounted numerous attacks that were repelled until Park turned over the ball and cleared their lines. The Morpeth full back retrieved the ball but a miscued kick found the Park back line and a counter attack was mounted which saw Toby Davidson chip ahead and after a couple of grubbers picked up the bouncing ball to go over for a try bang on half time. Ash Smith couldn’t make good the extra points but Park had a healthy 27 – 17 lead at the break.
Early in the second half Birch slotted another penalty to get the Mitford Road side within a converted try, before Harry Thorpe scored his second try on 49 minutes to move Park ahead 34 -20.
Morpeth were still not down and out as hooker Carl Hill barged over for a try converted by Birch on the hour for 34 – 27, and he then had a penalty chance to close the score-line further but missed.
Park decided to play more territory and kicked deep into the Morpeth half. Toby Davidson was unlucky not to score, but was adjudged to have knocked on over the line by the assistant referee. From the resulting Morpeth scrum on the 5 metre line, Park brought on prop George Purdy on the tight head side of the scrum and the Park pack shunted the Morpeth 8 back securing a turnover. Scrum half John Scott threw out a long reverse pass that was spun wide for Toby Davidson to get his hat-trick try of the evening which was converted by Smith for a 41 -27 lead.
As the game came to a close Park were awarded a penalty on 80 minutes that Ash Smith kicked to ensure Park’s name is in the hat for the semi-final draw with that game scheduled for 8th November 2014.