Park win guarantees play off place

Morpeth 3 - Percy Park 27

Percy Park are now guaranteed at least a play off spot with this 27 – 3 win over Morpeth at Mitford Road. West also won away at Carlisle with a bonus point, so they only need 7 points from their remaining three games to be confirmed as league champions. If Park can win the remaining two games away at Durham City and home to Hartlepool Rovers, they should be favourites for a home fixture for the play off against the runners up from North 1 West.

Park kicked off with the wind and slope advantages, in bright sunny conditions, and for the first 10 minutes exerted all the pressure on the home side, although solid defensive work meant the visitors could only come away with a 6 point lead after two penalties from the boot of Ash Smith on 9 minutes then four minutes later. Jinks for Morpeth clawed three points back with a well taken penalty after Park had been offside.

 

With Martin Shaw moved to the bench, Marcus Rutter assumed the fly half position, and scored his first try of the season with a break through midfield after an attack in the Morpeth 22. The Park number 10 jinked his way through the defence and scored under the posts. Ash Smith converted to take Park into a 13 – 3 lead.

Jinks had the opportunity of cutting the deficit with a penalty about 30 yards out, but after taking some time to take the kick, the ball blew off the tee and he had to take a snap drop goal attempt which went wide.

A few minutes later, Park thought they were through for another try, but the whistle by Durham ref, Charles Erasmus, brought play back, as the final pass from Ash Smith to Ali Blair was judged to be forward.

With a couple of minutes of time left in the half, Park were awarded a penalty on half way, and the decision was made to kick for goal, unfortunately the kick strayed wide of the posts, and the half time score remained 3 – 13.

Park started off briskly in the second period, and another penalty attempt by Ash Smith went begging. The visitors were exerting a lot of pressure on Morpeth and a couple of penalties against the home side, took Park up to the five metre line. A line out and catch and drive, saw the Preston Avenue side over the line, with Craig Fidler getting the touch down. Ash Smith was on target with the goal attempt and Park were comfortable leaders 3 – 20.

Morpeth came back as Jinks used successive penalties to kick to the corner, but hooker Dickinson had earlier left the field and their line out proved a little wayward, and Park were able to weather the storm.

On 65 minutes Rutter crossed the try line again for his second of the day. A Morpeth scrum inside their own half, was driven backwards and the ball came out on the Park side, with John Scott picking up and breaking for the line. The ball was off loaded to Rutter who stepped on the gas and scored, and again Ash Smith converted to take the score to 3 – 27.

Morpeth had a couple of further chances to attack the Park line resulting from penalties, but the strong defence held out, with a noticeable increase in the tackle count from front rowers, Purdy, Dunn and Wafer.

Anth Dunn was shown a yellow card for slowing down a Morpeth attack five metres out, but again Morpeth were repelled, as Park cleared their lines. Unfortunately Park couldn’t score the vital fourth try, but a good performance nonetheless.

On Wednesday night, Park take on Alnwick in the quarter final of the Northumberland Cup, KO 7pm at Preston Avenue.

Park Lions and Penguins were in cup final action at Whitley Bay Rockcliff, against Morpeth Edwardians and Tynedale Veterans. The Lions retained the cup with a 29 – 17 win, but sadly the Penguins lost out, more no doubt to follow.