Whitley Bay Rockcliff Vikings 0 - Percy Park Pumas 15
With no first team action this week for either club, the hardy, some would say foolish supporters braved the elements, and in appalling conditions 30 players tried their best to play rugby with an oval shaped bar of soap. It was perishing on the touch line, even with five layers of clothing, so hat's off to the players and referee for sticking it out for the full 80 minutes.
The artic wind and driving rain was in the home side's favour in the first half, but neither Rockcliif nor Park could make any real territorial gain, before someone slipped on the greasy surface or knocked on. Park opened the scoring late in the second half, when after a series of penalties in the red's 22, John Scott opportunistically scuttled over after taking a quick tap close to the line. Tony Turner missed the conversion attempt, obviously still smarting over his missed drop goal attempt earlier, which missed by a pitch width.
Park had the wind advantage in the second half, and had a good deal of the possession. Andy Dunn, normally Park's Ist XV hooker, playing scrum half for the day, bull dosed his way through a body of players on the five metre line to score an unconverted try and Percy Park lead 10 - 0.
With fifteen minutes to go, and hyperthermia setting in on the pitch, David Sayers scored Park's final try, stepping in off the left wing and breaking through a couple of despairing tackles. After much persuasion, Coach Paul Jobson and Chairman of Rugby Thomas Turnbull discarded their woollen hats and mittens to come on the pitch for the last ten minutes, although despite the muddy conditions their shirts remained spotlessly clean for the remainder of the game.
Back at Preston Avenue, Park's Lions played a hastily arranged game against a Northern XV which included some Morpeth guest players. Park led 3 nil for much of the game, but 2 tries in the last 10 minutes gave the visitors a 10 - 3 victory.
Percy Park Marauders were also in action against Rockcliff Rangers, but the game was abandoned with the score 0 - 0 after a serious knee injury to one of the Whitley Bay players held up the game for 25 minutes whist an ambulance was called, and given the atrocious weather, neither side was that keen to resume play.
Next week Percy Park Ist XV return to league action away to Ryton, The Lions play Morpeth at home, and the Pumas entertain Ryton.