PERCY PARK 36 – 3 Bridlington
Durham and Northumberland 1
Park will return to North 2 East next season after this comprehensive win against the runners up of Yorkshire 1. This was the second visit of the season to Preston Avenue for the East Yorkshire side, having lost to Park in EDF Energy Senior Vase 24 - 6, and they were hoping to avenge their exit from the cup, but Park were too strong in all departments.
Percy Park were able to field an almost full strength side and welcomed the return of club captain Brett Sylph who had been out for five weeks with broken ribs. Bridlington on the other hand were without influential kiwi fly half Jamie Muru, and were also missing their South African trio who had returned to Natal a few weeks earlier.
The first score came after 4 minutes when Marcus Rutter kicked a penalty after the referee had awarded the home side a penalty for Bridlington deliberately wheeling the scrum, much to the annoyance of the visiting supporters. Martin Robinson however levelled the scores on 10 minutes when Park were offside 25 yards from their own try line.
Percy Park were on top in the forwards in both the tight and loose play, and were able to give the backs good quick ball. Phil Morse had a walk in try on the left wing, after a good handling move involving both backs and forwards gave Park a three on one. Andy Dunn's perfectly timed pass drew the last defender giving Morse the easiest of scores with Marcus Rutter converting for a 10- 3 lead.
Rutter missed a difficult penalty kick, and surprisingly when the visitors were awarded a penalty in the Park half they rejected the chance of three points and kicked for the corner. Park defended the line out that resulted and Dave Griffiths cleared the lines. Percy Park had the upper hand for most of the first quarter, but Greg Dixon was sin binned by referee Paul Fincken for a late challenge, but only three minutes later the numbers were evened up when John Lee for Brid, was also given a yellow card for persistent infringing.
Surprisingly, in a mix up involving the team of 3 officials, the Bridlington player was allowed to return to the field before Greg Dixon who had spent 15 minutes in the sin bin despite the protestations of the home crowd .The visitors were constantly on the back foot, and an attempted clearance kick by Robinson was charged down by John Scott, the ball was retrieved by Bridlington, but Scott tackled the lone defender on the try line, and immediately rose to his feet clearing the player for back row Anthony Dunn to snatch the ball and cross the line for an unconverted try, and at half time Park led 15 - 3.
The conditions were a stark contrast to the previous encounter between the two sides in the depth and gloom of winter. The pitch was firm under foot and the weather was dry and sunny with only a slight wind which was against Park in the second half. Park were soon on the score sheet again with the fleet footed John Scott racing to the line on the blind side of a scrum, after Brett Sylph had popped up a ball to the mercurial young scrum half. Rutter kicked a difficult attempt from wide on the left and with 30 minutes to go Park were in the driving seat winning 22 - 3.
Rutter missed a penalty kick to lengthen the lead, but from the resulting 22 drop out, Park ran play back and a deft kick to the corner, and resulting chase, put the Bridlington back 3 in all kinds of problems, and when the full back attempted to kick the ball off the field of play, he only managed to hit the back of his own player, and the ball bounced back over their try line, with Ash Smith pouncing on the ball for the try. Marcus Rutter kicked the conversion for a 29 - 3 lead.
Park were having a purple patch in the second half, and there was little the visiting side could do to stem the flow of points. Ash Smith scored his second try of the game with a surging run after a cheeky dummy put him through a gap in the defence. With the full back to beat, he chipped the ball and dived on it over the line to score. Rutter kicked the conversion and with 20 minutes remaining Park had an unassailable lead 36 - 3.
To the credit of Bridlington they dug deep into their reserves and kept Park at bay for the remainder of the game, but couldn't add to their solitary penalty. So Percy Park had won the play off game, and return to level six rugby after 3 seasons in Durham & Northumberland 1.
Park Pumas were also finishing off their season with an emphatic double header win over West End, which seals the Northumberland League 3a title.