EDF ENERGY SENIOR VASE – ROUND 3 NORTH 

PERCY PARK 37 – 24 NORTHERN 

Percy Park go in the hat for Round 4 to be played on 13^th December 2008, after winning 34 – 24, in a game dictated to by an icy wind blowing down the pitch, from which Park benefited in the first half and the visitors in the second period.  

Both Park and Northern had made several changes to their sides, some enforced due to injury or unavailability, but in Park’s case with a view to playing some of the Lions players who were on the fringe of breaking into the 1^st XV squad.

Ryton, to those who have played or supported there, is a windy and exposed site on which to play rugby, but it’s good for blowing away the cobwebs, or anything else that is not securely fastened down. The strong cross wind in part was instrumental in Park scoring their first try of the game.  

The score line kind of flattered Park, and although 6 tries to 1 tells its own story, the home side still didn't fire on all cylinders. Gosforth were missing several of their regulars due to injury, and Percy Park too missed key players for the same reason, but ground out a clear win in a scrappy sort of game.

Park were made to work hard for their win, against a well drilled Wallsend side, who had led by a single point early in the second half. Both sets of players will know they were in a game, with crunching tackles and no quarter asked or given, but Park maintain their position of second in the league.