Percy Park Penguins roll back the years

PERCY PARK PENGUINS 38 – 19 PERCY PARK MARAUDERS

Park fielded two 1^st Xv’s this Saturday and both ended their respective opponent’s unbeaten records. The current 1^st XV ended Billingham’s 100% record and the 1^st XV class of 95 defeated an under strength Marauders.

Percy Park was one of the few clubs in the county to support Northumberland’s initiative to keep specific weeks free to play development and veteran rugby. Whilst Park sent a youngish side to Ponteland to play Ponteland Development, they also played an Academy game against Alnwick Colts, but there were no takers for a veteran’s game, so the Marauders stepped in. In the days before mini rugby Percy Park Penguins played the odd social game on a Sunday with veterans taking the field for a trundle around the park, then a couple of beers before falling asleep on the sofa as the wife watch Mrs Minerva or some other such drivel on the box. So it was decided to try an put together a vets team, and Paul Jobson got on the blower and hey presto 20 odd players arrived some without boots to answer the call.

A sizeable crowd gathered to witness many of the Park 1^st XV of the 90’s assembled to take on a young Marauders team. More follically challenged and rotund than in there hay day, the stars of yesteryear, showed that they had still not lost their skill and will to win, even though the game did look as though some one had pressed the slow-mo button.

The Penguins started like a train, more of a slow steam train than an intercity express though, and Paul Jobson crashed over for the first score inside 2 minutes. Taff Baskerville showed he hadn’t lost any of his kicking skills by spooning the conversion attempt low and wide of the target. The Marauders then took the lead when Dan Lewis scored after skipper Paul Hardcastle was stopped just short of the line. Hardcastle scored a second for the Marauders after a ball went loose at the back of a line out, although this time the conversion was missed.

Just before half time Paul Singleton levelled the scores 12 – 12 with a try converted by Baskerville. The Marauders already depleted from the usual squad lost Hardcastle and their blind side flanker with injuries and were no down to a bare 15 players. The Penguins were playing rolling subs (literally in some cases), with some of the players managing only 5 minutes before retiring back to the touchline for an oxygen mask.

Alex Giles took the lead for the Penguins, then a slimmed down Chris Rowley finished of a driving Maul as the Marauders went down to 14 men. The Marauders hit back with a try of their own with pace out wide.

Mark Carr then got on the score sheet after Wayne Dobson had made a break, and attempted side step before remembering he was a second row, and popped the ball to Carsy to finish off; conversion Giles.

The best try of the game came from none other than Baskerville. A trade mark double dummy scissors then straight through the gap. As he reached down to score his try, momentum and gravity took their course and the welsh wizard tumbled unceremoniously towards the fence.

The game ended with another Giles conversion 38 – 19. It was good to see some of the old lags don a shirt, and it is certain that the Penguins will be having another outing some time in the New Year.

Percy Park Penguins:- Brack, Hilton, Rowley, Denny, McDine, Whitfield, Dobson, Charlton, Thorpe, Ellis, Jobson, Snowdon, Cook, Baskerville, Cherry, Carr, Casey, Giles, Singleton, Yates, McMahon, Millican. Referee Seamus McCalion.