PONTEFRACT 15 – 7 PERCY PARK
Despite Percy Park having more possession, and a good supply of first phase ball, it has to be said that Pontefract deserved their win and the important two league points. The aimless kicking that dogged the recent England Italy encounter seems to have become endemic in the game today; and Park were guilty of poor kicking from hand throughout the game which was there to be won.
The overnight cold snap abated and the bright sunshine thawed the pitch to make the game playable on a slightly heavy pitch which cut up a bit during the game. Pontefract kicked off and although Percy Park had a good deal of the ball in the first ten minutes, the home side nearly scored from their first possession when only desperate last ditch tackling stopped an almost certain try.
The visitors set up a good attacking base and after several phases the ball was spun left to right, good quick ball, which should have been moved through the hands, but inexplicable Phil Morse opted for a speculative drop goal attempt which missed by a country mile. Park did have a chance to put points on the board when the home side were penalised and John Scott took a quick tap, but was prevented from running with the ball, and an extra ten metres was awarded, but Rutter missed with the kick at goal.
Park seemed set on kicking away possession, and most kicks failed to find touch. Pontefract on the other hand seemed more keen to keep the ball in hand, and when the ball popped out of a ruck on half way, the ball was won by the men in blue, and found it’s way to right wing Simon Spears who beat two Park tacklers with the smallest of gaps down the touch line to score a try, which was unconverted on 27 minutes.
Pontefract were guilty of slowing down the ball several times, and eventually Derek Eves was sin binned just before half time. Even with the numerical advantage, the Park backs still kicked away possession, and then conceded a penalty for offside in front of the post which was kicked by Glen Boyd, so at half time the home side led 8 – 0.
The Percy Park scrummage and line out worked effectively, but the backs seemed to lack any confidence to run with the ball, and the ball was too easily given up for the opposition to counter attack. Park were penalised just inside their half for an alleged spear tackle, and mysteriously the referee moved the penalty up almost 20 yards and well within kicking range. Thankfully the kick for goal went wide, as did a second penalty attempt moments later.
The Pontefract right wing Spears scored his second try of the game, which he finished well on 71 minutes, although there were three missed tackles which cost Park dear. Boyd kicked the difficult conversion from wide out giving Ponte the lead 15 – 0.
Any chance of a Wales/Scotland type upset? Only a minute later, the home side were down to 14 men when one of their front row was sin binned, and Tony Dunn scored a try close to the posts from a good inside pass from replacement scrum half Jimmy Baldwin. Earlier Park had brought on replacement forward Austin Philips, but when Richy Dawson had to leave the field with an injury, scrum half John Scott had to go into the back row questioning the decision to go with only one forward and two back replacements. Rutter kicked the conversion to take the score to 15 – 7, with six minutes plus injury time left.
Pontefract then lost hooker Smith to the bin, for foul play and they were down to 13 men, but the game then went to uncontested scrums, which didn’t help the Park cause. Even with two men down, the Yorkshiremen battled away to hold out for a win, that moves them up to sixth in the league.
Back at Preston Avenue, Park’s three other senior teams were in cup action. The Lions won 35 – 5 against Ashington II, and will play Tynedale Hoppers in the semi final at Park on 13th March. The Pumas let a good first half lead slip and eventually went down 20 – 24 to Ponteland II. Park Marauders won a cup/league double header 28 -5 against Alnwick IV, and will play the winners between North Shields Artisans and Ponteland Vets.