NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 9 – 8  SHEFFIELD

Prior to this penultimate league game of the season the formbook would suggest that table toppers Sheffield just had to turn up and a bonus point win would see them as League Champions 2015. Percy Park however had other ideas with club captain Michael Langlands returning to league action after his eye operation to repair a detached retina had kept him out of the team for a considerable period of time.

Before the game there was a gathering of some 130 guests including 2 former Presidents of the Rugby Football Union, and many former Percy Park players spanning 7 decades who attended for lunch. They were then treated to a display full of spirit and determination that put the icing on the cake of a good day for the club for the last home game of 2014/15.

For much of the season Park had had to contend with a mounting injury and unavailability list which has seen some 46 different players selected for the 1^st XV in league rugby so far, and today was no different with 2 more players making their league debuts namely Mal Donald and Austin Phillips. There was a new look back line too with flankers Leo Caulfield and Ethan Wilson selected on the wing and centre respectively.

Park kicked off with the tail wind but were penalised for bringing a Sheffield player down whilst still in the air and the visitors cleared the ball to touch back in Park territory. The home side tackled with determination, and forced the Sheffield into several errors and turnovers. Ash Smith had his first penalty chance on 6 minutes but the kick hit the post and bounced out, however he was on target on the quarter hour to give Park a 3 – 0 lead.

NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR CUP

PERCY PARK 13 – 25 NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

Percy Park 1^st XV couldn’t emulate the previous week’s success of the Lions and regain the County Cup that they had held for 3 out of the past 4 seasons. During the week press reports and Facebook commented on the claim that the University were struggling to field a team, and although Park too were without a number of their regular 1^st XV several of the Lions squad stepped up and performed well to stake their claim for the 1^st XV shirt.

Park warmed up in the balmy Morpeth spring sunshine sporting their “stay strong Stu” tee shirts in support of 25 year old Tynedale player Stu Ridley who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

Park notoriously slow starters held out until the 6^th minutes before Adam King capitalised on a turnover and broke through some ineffective tackling in the defensive line, to score under the posts. A determined charge of the conversion by Liam Blackburn did enough to ensure scrum half Gary Andrews kick went wide of the mark.

North One East

Pocklington 35 – 21 Percy Park

23 league games gone and 3 to go before the end of season 2014/15. Park will be looking to regroup for next term as the string of defeats continued away to Pocklington. Once again for goodness knows how many times this season Park conceded a try inside 2 minutes as Pock wing Archie Fothergill went in at the corner and full back Jack Fletcher slotted the difficult conversion.

Minutes later Fletcher put his side 10 – 0 ahead with a dubious penalty that the referee awarded despite both touch judges saying the kick went wide of the posts.

Having gone behind, Percy Park then started playing some rugby and Josh Hedley burst through a ruck near the Pocklington line to open the visitor’s account and fly half Paul Spowart converted. Just before the break Spowart levelled the scores with a penalty as Park took some advantage of the home side being without hooker Ben Stephenson who had been sin binned for a professional foul.

FINAL SCORE  -  PERCY PARK 13 - 44 DRIFFIELD

CONDITIONS - WINDY

PERCY PARK IN RED TO AVOID STRIP CLASH

NEXT GAME - POCKLINGTON AWAY 21ST MARCH 2015

MATCH STATS BELOW

DRIFFIELD REPORT