PERCY PARK 56 – 0 PONTELAND
Ponteland brought two squads to Preston Avenue in the final Saturday before the league season starts proper. Although neither side was at full strength as some key players took a break over the bank holiday weekend, the first encounters were fairly even. Park opened their account when full back Alan Barlow went over in the right hand corner after a break from Ash Smith set the move going. With regular kicker Marcus Rutter unavailable, Barlow assumed kicking duties, but was unsuccessful with his first attempt.
Pont showed some determination in defence, and retained the ball well in the first 20 minutes. Although they did lack a little invention in the back line, their forwards had the upper hand in the set scrum, with Park having no recognised props available.
Percy Park were more accurate in the line out, and from an attacking position inside the visitor’s 22 the ball was secured and driven towards the line, with wing Thomas Turnbull joining the fray and breaking through the maul to go over for the try.
The final try of the half came from youngster Howard Stock who used his pace on the wing shortly before the break. Barlow kicked the conversion to take the score to 17 – 0 at half time.
As the heavens opened and conditions became slippy underfoot, Park for safety reasons (with no experienced props) requested that the game continue with uncontested scrums, much to the dissatisfaction of the Ponteland coaching staff. This removed any potent threat the visitors possessed, and 6 minutes into the second half Ash Smith scored with Alun Barlow converting.
Pont still battled away, but their resolve seemed to weaken after a try by Adam Fidler on the hour. Andy Dunn was making some surging runs in midfield and powered through the defensive line offloading back to Martin Shaw who went over for the score. The Park player coach crossed for his second minutes later after James Ponton had picked up from a scrum and passed to the Park fly half coming back on a fine angle to break through.
Howard Stock scored his second try of the game receiving a ball in open space on halfway, showing a clean pair of heels to the covering defence before crossing the line on the right wing. Martin Shaw finished off the scoring on the stroke of full time to complete his hat trick.
On the far pitch Percy Park Lions prove too strong for their Ponteland counterparts winning 35 – 0.
Next week Percy Park play Hartlepool Rovers at the New Friarage in the opening game of the North 1 East League, and the Lions play Rovers at home in their first CaNDY league game.