SSE NATIONAL 3 NORTH
PENRITH 17 – 24 PERCY PARK
A bonus point win gives Park 5 valuable points in the struggle against relegation and keeps them just outside the drop zone by the slenderest of margins with 2 games in hand against fellow strugglers Waterloo. The game went ahead in bright sunshine and the forecast rain did not materialise which was just as well with the pitch already very heavy from the deluge earlier in the week.
Percy Park started well with most of the early play but failed to capitalise on possession up to the home side 5 metre line giving away a penalty with forwards going off their feet in the ruck. Penrith came back and were unlucky not to go 3 points ahead when a Mike Fearon penalty hit the crossbar and bounced out.
It was Park who opened the scoring, after being awarded a penalty inside the Penrith 22. Rather than take a scrum a quick tap was fed to Guy Pike who came off his wing and powered over for the try which Todd Harrison converted on 22 minutes.
The home side belied their lowly position at the foot of National 3 North showing no small measure of spirit and determination, but their cause was made more difficult when prop Glen Carr was ordered from the field with a straight red card for a punch in clear sight of the referee.
Despite being down to 14 men, Penrith hit back with an unconverted try by Mike Stephens, and then on the stroke of half time Jamie McNaughton crossed in the corner for a well finished try which Fearon converted to give the Cumbrians a 12 – 7 lead at the break.
Early in the second half Park were on the attack and wide ball saw full back Toby Davison come into the line with wing Guy Pike in support. Davison backed himself to beat the last man rather than give the pass and drove at the defender with Pike driving both attacker and defender over the line to assist the try. Todd Harrison stabbed at the conversion which missed the target and both sides were now level on 12 – 12.
Shortly afterwards the game was stopped for several minutes as Park centre Alex Tilley was stretchered from the field and taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle.
Both sides were struggling with the heavy conditions which some of the players after the game said was like running in soft sand, but Park had the superiority in the pack and were winning more than enough possession to keep their opposition on the back foot. Penrith however defended manfully and despite being a man down made Park work hard throughout.
With just short of an hour played, Penrith’s tight-head prop went down with an injury and had to leave the field meaning the game had to go to uncontested scrums. This totally negated Park’s dominance at scrum time and also ensured guaranteed possession for the home pack. After several minutes of play it was pointed out to the referee that Penrith had substituted their injured prop when going to uncontested scrums. The Cumbrian side were then forced to reverse the substitution and some heated discussion on and off the field took place regarding the interpretation of the laws. It cannot be said that the RFU make the law book very easy however law 13.5.11 b states:-
“In League Matches at Levels 3 and below, Cup Matches and Play-Off
Matches if on any occasion (other than a temporary blood injury)
uncontested scrums are ordered by the Referee, in accordance with (a)(i)
above, due to injury or consequent to a player being temporarily suspended
or ordered off, the team concerned shall not be entitled to replace the player
whose departure caused the uncontested scrum”
So the referee did get it right.
Park broke the deadlock with a Stu Findlay try on 63 minutes which Todd Harrison converted, but Penrith’s never say die attitude saw the hit back with a Dan Richardson try to get back within 2 points 17 – 19.
With time running out Park scored their fourth try and secured the win and bonus point with a James Ponton try, the old man coming back into the 1st XV after almost 5 months out due to injury and work commitments. The conversion hit the post but Park were now 24 – 17 ahead. Despite Penrith now being down to 12 men with a player sin binned for a late tackle, they continue to press the Park defence needing a converted try for a draw. Park however regained possession and saw the rest of the game out.
Next week the 1st XV travel to Sale KO 3pm.