PERCY PARK 35 - 24 GOSFORTH
This was a keenly contested cup tie which Park won in the second half after trailing 10 - 16 at the break. For the neutral, (and there were a few in the crowd on this non league Saturday), this was an entertaining and high scoring game, with both sides keen to spin the ball.
With the wind at their backs in the first half the green and whites of Gosforth started well with 3 points from a penalty by Stuart Campbell after only 2 minutes when Park had strayed offside in defence. The visitors then went further ahead when scrum half Ian Bruce darted through a gap after a scrum inside the home side 22, to score a try wide on the left hand side of the pitch, which remained unconverted.
It was one-way traffic from a score line point of view, when Gosforth kicked another penalty and led by 11 points, and the pressure was on Park who had beaten Gosforth on the two earlier occasions this season when the sides met in the league.
From the restart, Park number 8 Brett Sylph, took the high ball which was recycled through the forwards, and then fed out to fly half Ash Smith who broke through a gap in the Gosforth defence, and ran the 30 metres to the line to score and converted his own try on 19 minutes.
The visitors soon hit back with a well executed try by full back Ross Johnstone, who picked a good line, taking the ball at pace to break through the Park defence to score to take the score to 7 - 16.
Just before half time Ash Smith cut the gap with a penalty and Park trailed 10 - 16, but had the advantage of wind and slope in the second half.
In recent games Park had come back strongly at their opposition in the second half, and this week was no exception. Giles Tipsword came off the bench to start the second period and within 1 minute powered over the line after Park had taken a scrum against the head on the Gosforth 22. Brett Sylph picked up and was stopped short of the line, but Giles was on hand to take the pass and score with his first touch of the game. (inspired substitution). Ash Smith converted, and Park were now in the lead.
Stuart Campbell took back the lead for the visitors with a penalty, which was soon cancelled out when Ash Smith kicked a penalty at the other end for Park.
Percy Park began to pull away, when captain Greg Dixon scored a try after a well timed pass by stand in scrum half Thomas Turnbull, and Ash Smith made no mistake with the conversion. Turnbull, then scored a try of his own, a typical scrum half dart over the line and Percy Park were now in control at 32 - 19.
Gosforth are renowned for scoring late in the game and in true fashion scored a try when replacement Mutton dived over following a chip kick on the right wing.
Park made sure of the win with the final kick of the game when Ashley Smith kicked a further penalty to win 35 - 24. Percy Park are now in the next round of the cup and will play either, Tynedale, Morpeth, or the winners of Northern and Alnwick.
Percy Park Pumas had a good win away at Prudhoe and Stocksfield, in a game of two halves. Losing 17 - 7 at half time the young Pumas side ran out winners 43 - 20 using the wind and considerable sloping pitch to their advantage in the second period.