PERCY PARK 16 – 32 CLECKHEATON
Percy Park relinquished top spot on the leader board with an under par second half performance against Cleckheaton. The conditions were cold and miserable with constant drizzle throughout the game, but this didn’t dampen the spirits of the visiting supporters cutting a dash bedecked in wigs and multi coloured striped blazers.
Park kicked off and were on the score board after only 2 minutes when Ash Smith kicked a penalty, which was cancelled out three minutes later by a penalty kicked by Iain Gordon. Percy Park had much of the early possession, and when a kick to the Cleckheaton 22 was touched in flight, the clearance kick saw the line out brought back to the 5 metre line as the ball had been taken back in. Park won the line out and quick ball to fly half Martin Shaw saw him crash through the defence to score, and Smith converted for 10 – 3.
John Scott, Percy Park’s inspirational scrum half and skipper had to leave the field with a gash to the head, and unfortunately he was not to return which cause some disruption in the Park back line. Craig Firth came on to the wing and Thomas Turnbull moved to the dummy half position. Cleck soon had a chance to cut the Park lead, but the penalty chance went wide. Ash Smith then kicked consecutive penalties, before Gordon kicked a penalty for the visitors on the stroke of half time.
At the break Park looked reasonably comfortable with a 16 – 6 lead, but the bruising encounter at Wheatley Hills last week, was beginning to take its toll. Park had already lost both Dunn brothers, and Craig Fidler from the starting line up, which weakened the pack somewhat, and in the second half Cleckheaton opted to play a tighter mauling game which starved Park of possession for long periods.
With only 3 minutes of the second half gone, wing Ross Hayden crossed in the corner as Park ran out of defenders, and Gordon kicked the conversion to bring the visitors back within 3 points. Cleckheaton then took the lead with a try from prop Andy Piper after a rolling maul close to the Park line. Gordon missed the conversion attempt.
For most of the remainder of the game, the Yorkshiremen had the lion share of possession, with Park only venturing into the visitors half on the odd occasion. With 80 minutes up it looked as though Cleckheaton would hold on for a narrow win and Park a losing bonus point. Unfortunately for the home side however, Cleck continued to batter away at the Park defence and eventually Piper was driven over for his second try, and Gordon kicked the conversion from the right touch line to take Park out of bonus point territory.
With Percy Park now chasing the game, and on the attack, Martin Shaw attempted to chip the rush defence, only to succeed in kicking the ball straight into the hands of oncoming centre Peter Murphy who ran half the length of the field to score under the posts, and Gordon made good the extra points.
Cleckheaton were good for their win, and collected a bonus point for scoring four tries in the process. Park must now regroup for a tough away trip next week to Carlisle, and hope some of the walking wounded can be patched up in time.