ALNWICK 26 – 17 PERCY PARK
A tired Percy Park lost to a resurgent Alnwick side at Greensfield, and now look set to finish in the runner up spot in Durham & Northumberland 1. The writing was on the wall as early as the second minute when Will Peberdy went over untouched under the posts for the home side in a well executed back move from a scrum on the Park 5 metre line.
Alnwick kicked off and the visitors failed to clear their lines, and after a couple of scrums in which the home side pack were under pressure, managed to release their backs with the fly half dummying then giving a well timed pop pass to the Northumberland Under 20 centre Peberdy to go through a gap in the Park defence. Rob Middlemiss kicked the conversion.
Percy Park had two kicks at goal after repeated penalties by Alnwick but Marcus Rutter missed right with his first attempt then hit the post with the second. Park continued to attack and had the better of the home side pack in the line out and scrum, but the Alnwick forwards were busier in the loose play and were able to counter ruck and win turn over ball for their pacey backs.
With Park on the attack, a spilled pass was pounced on and retrieved by Peberdy who ran half the length of the field to score. Rutter kicked a penalty just before the break to take the half time score to 12 – 3.
The second half started much the same as the first and Peberdy completed his hat trick again from a Park mistake, and any thoughts of another Percy Park win were quickly dispelled aas with the conversion the home side had a 19 – 3 lead.
With Park on the attack, Rutter was in space and opted to chip the defender, but an unforced error saw the ball kicked straight into the hands of Middlemiss who ran the length of the pitch to score and convert his own try. At 26 – 3 there looked no way back for Park, as some disgruntled supporters left, expecting a heavy defeat.
On 54 minutes Liam Blackburn went over in the right hand corner after Park’s backs eventually got their act together, and Rutter converted to cut the gap to 26 – 10. Michael Langlands scored a try from the back of a scrum under the posts and with the Rutter conversion Park were down 26 – 17, Alnwick looked out on their feet with 10 minutes remaining as Park continued to attack, but the home side held on to their lead, and looked to have secured third place.
There was much talk in the bar afterwards about three teams being promoted following the RFU league restructuring, and increasing the league sizes form 12 to 14. With no relegation from either North 2 East or Durham & Northumberland 1, it looks highly unlikely, and as things stand it is more likely that Percy Park with be playing Bridlington from Yorkshire 1, in a play off to decide who is promoted.