EDF ENERGY SENIOR VASE – ROUND 3 NORTH
PERCY PARK 37 – 24 NORTHERN
Percy Park go in the hat for Round 4 to be played on 13th December 2008, after winning 34 – 24, in a game dictated to by an icy wind blowing down the pitch, from which Park benefited in the first half and the visitors in the second period.
Both Park and Northern had made several changes to their sides, some enforced due to injury or unavailability, but in Park’s case with a view to playing some of the Lions players who were on the fringe of breaking into the 1st XV squad.
The home side had notched their first try inside a minute, before many of the spectators had taken their places on the touchline, staying in the warmth of the club house until the last possible moment before braving the near arctic conditions. From the kick off Park had battered the Northern defence and then skipper Brett Sylph drove over the line to score. The strong wind made kicking from anywhere other than in front of the posts a lottery, and Rutter went wide with his conversion attempt.
For the first 10 minutes it was all Percy Park, as Northern struggled against the wind to get out of their half, and the home side used the elements to keep the visiting side bottled up. After an infringement in the line out, Park were awarded a free kick which Sylph took quickly and after making good ground gave a well timed pass to centre Ali Blair for him to score his first try of the game.
On 17 minutes Ali Blair scored his second after a determined Andy Dunn had secured a 50/50 loose ball, and this time Rutter was on target and Park were scoring at the rate of a point a minute, and the signs looked ominous for the visitors. Somewhat against the run of play Northern scored their first try with a strong run from centre James Marwick, which staunched the run of Park points and kept the McCracken Park side in touch.
Park replied promptly with a try on the right wing from Johnny Gould after a mazy break by Rutter, and a lovely flighted missed pass. Rutter was again in action, setting up good ball from another break through the Northern defence, this time finding Sylph who shook off several players before offloading to debutant James Grieve who handed off the last defender and went over the line to take Park into the break up 27 – 5.
Northern managed to secure more possession in the second half with the wind at their backs, and five minutes in James Marwick ghosted through a gap in the home defence to score, with Shane Wright kicking the conversion. Northern scored again soon afterwards wide on the left hand wing after more poor Park tackling allowed Shane Dixon to cross the line. With the score at 27 -17, there were some anxious looks from the Park support who had expected a much wider margin based on the first half display, but all credit to Northern who were not about to bow out of the Senior vase without a fight.
With 10 minutes to go Brett Sylph made another surging run taking several defenders with him before finding Rutter on hand for the Park full back to go over and give the home side a little more breathing space. Minutes later Sylph had the ball in hand once again and made a rampaging run from half way. The desperate cover defence stopped the Park captain just short of the try line, and unfortunately for Park the nearest supporting player couldn’t capitalise on the loose ball, and Northern were still in the game.
With only minutes remaining Northern scored again, with Shane Wright crossing the Park line, and with Wright’s excellent conversion effort, the score at 32 – 24 meant that a converted try and penalty could have taken the spoils for the visiting side. It was Park however who scored the last points in the game with Ali Blair finishing off his hat trick after Johnny Gould had mad good ground and with 50 metres to go, the Park centre had enough gas to out pace the chasing defenders.
The final score was 37 – 24 and Park will be watching the draw on Tuesday to see who they face in the next round. Park Lions didn’t have a game having played in an exciting game on Wednesday evening which they won 27 - 12 against Seghill. Percy Park Pumas maintained their assault on the league title with a last minute win away at Border Park. The Pumas had trailed 25 – 19 with minutes to go, and managed to score a try to cut the deficit to 25 – 24. The conversion was missed but moments later Tony Turner kicked a penalty to win 25 – 27. Park’s Marauders went down to Wallsend III at Preston Avenue