PERCY PARK 20 - 6 DURHAM CITY

: Scoop; Category: 1st XV Reports 09/10; 14 September 2009; Hits: 3790

City kicked off in glorious sunshine, with perfect playing conditions, and immediately put the home side under pressure with ample early possession. Park were penalised for not rolling away at the tackle, and James Walker stepped up and kicked a penalty from just inside the Park 22, to give his side a 3 – 0 lead.

Marcus Rutter levelled the scores with a penalty 3 minutes later, although City had Park on the rack for much of the first quarter. Ex Park scrum half Chris Dalton kicked a drop goal for the visitors to regain the lead, and at this stage the Hollow Drift side were in control of the game spending much of the time in the Park half, although the stout black and white defence kept them at bay. Shortly before the half time whistle both sides had penalty attempts at goal, but the score remained 3 – 6 to City.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first, with Durham City having the lion’s share of territory and possession, although Park showed a little more flair when the ball was spun out through the backs, with Marcus Turner and David Griffiths returning to the side in the centre. On the hour Park took the lead with a fine try finished off by Liam Blackburn on the left wing. In fact Park should have scored in the previous play when a Greg Dixon pass found a retreating City player. Marcus Turner picked up on a loose ball and ran through a gap in the defence, and although the powerful centre was stopped in the City 22, the ball was recycle well from the resulting ruck and Andy Dunn popped up in the midfield to give the final pass to put Blackburn in at the corner.

Marcus Rutter kicked the difficult conversion, and somewhat against the run of play, the home side now led 10 -6.The Hollow Drift side had the opportunity to cut the deficiet with a long range penalty, but Walker was off target,

Park’s youthful side now seemed to have the edge and the greater fitness seemed to be telling as in the last 15 minutes the home side began exerting more pressure and City were forced to give away a penalty in their own 22 which Rutter kicked, and now City needed a converted try just to equalise to get something out of the game. With time almost up Park finished off in style with a try by skipper Michael Langlands in the right hand corner. Park had a line out on the visitors 22 and with the ball won the ball was spun back to the blind side for Langlands to seal the win. Rutter finished off a fine kicking display with a conversion from the touchline to win 20 – 6. Park’s Man of the Match was scrum half John Scott for a tenacious performance.

The Percy Park Lions had the week off, but the Pumas went down 41 – 19 to Ponteland II in Northumberland County League 2b. The Marauders fared better with a comprehensive 48 – 10 away win against North Shields II. Meanwhile the Percy Park Academy travelled to Alnwick for a rearranged training game which was just edged by the home side.