Regional 2 North
Percy Park RFC 43 v Aspatria RUFC 15
Davison conducts as Park score a 6.
Before I start my usual discourse, on behalf of Percy Park RFC, I would like to extend our sympathies to family and friends of Doddie Weir OBE who sadly passed away on 26th November 2023. Doddie was known to many at Percy Park and whilst playing with Newcastle Gosforth shared a room with our own Martin Wilson. Doddie was blessed with an infectious and likeable disposition and was a person who filled the room with his personality. A nature and game style that Bill McLaren eloquently described as being “On the charge like a mad giraffe”. He will be missed.
On paper the contest against Aspatria should have been a close affair. Regional 2 North has split into two distinct groups with Percy Park sitting at the foot of the top 6 and Aspatria top of the ladder of the chasing half. A close call perhaps? With Josh Hedley and Michael Langlands returning from injury against Middlesbrough on this occasion the players were joined by Matty Atkinson, Michael Birkett and Danial Shuttleworth. The already impressive pack bolstered by the returning players. (Our injury list is getting shorter.) Hopefully Percy Park can now make an improved bid toward the top of the leader board. After 15 minutes of this contest the Percy Park forwards strangled the life out of the game and provided the platform for the home side to dominate throughout. Aspatria are not a poor side and in the final quarter of the game they played some great rugby to send their supporters home with some cheer. On the day it was not a close contest at all, Percy Park were simply the better team.
Percy Park’s first score came on the 15 minute mark as they played out of their 22 with some pretty impressive handling skills. With the ball in Aspatria’s 22, Park kept the pressure on securing a scrum on or about the 10 metre mark. Picking off at the back, Michael Langlands put the home side on the front foot with a pass to Ross Young playing at inside centre. Initially stopped, the ball was recycled and moved to the left toward the advancing forwards, by scrum half Charley Miller. The ball placed into the eager hands of Matty Atkinson who rounded defenders to place down, giving Paul Spowart an easy conversion.
Five minutes later Paul Spowart extended Park’s lead with a well taken penalty. The decision given clubhouse side as the Aspatria 10 failed to stay on his feet in the ruck. Just outside the 22 Paul Spowart made no mistake. 10 nil to the home side.
Aspatria responded with a penalty of their own when Chris Reekie failed to roll away and probably would have drawn level if they could have taken advantage of a swift break from their open side Phil Dixon. Howard Stock putting in a fine tackle to assist Paul Spowart in bringing the player to ground. Aspatria losing the ball in the support.
Up until that point it really was ‘all Park’. Good handling and forward play coupled with organised defence frustrated the visitors. That frustration creeping to the surface as individual players went ‘head to head’ off the ball.
Aspatria’s failure to capitalize on Dixon’s break proved costly as Percy Park stepped up the pace with some very good rugby. Fly Half Toby Davison was putting in one of his best performances ‘of late’ keeping the visitors pressed within their 22. Chris Reekie ceremoniously put on his backside by a double up tackle.
But it was all Percy Park. That frustration I mentioned earlier eventually boiled over as they had a player yellow carded for his part in a fracas with Jonny Dubois. The dispute being over possession of the ball after the whistle had blown in Park’s favour. To the bin he went and as a consequence Park dominated the scrum releasing the ball to Ross Young. Young crossing the line with ease. Conversion taken. 17 to 3 and into the half time turnaround.
With numerical advantage Percy Park kept the pressure on. The pack as an ‘8’ were playing really well. Toby Davison was enjoying the ride distributing the ball like a conductor at the Albert Hall. Josh Hedley and Chris Reekie were putting in the hits but the work on the floor from Jake Smith and Dan Shuttleworth was equally as impressive.
A long throw to the back saw the peel and Percy Park went to the Aspatria line. Relentless pressure from the forwards and scrum half Charley Miller manufactured the penalty advantage as Aspatria drifted offside. Percy Park didn’t need it as Michael Birkett carried over. Paul Spowart inexplicably missing the shot. 22 to 3.
The bonus try soon followed and it was the best try of the game. Descriptive words and adjectives used courtesy of Jake Smith cannot be put into print but his sentiment was spot on. Aspatria carried out and carried high. Chris Reekie stepped in and ripped the ball free before turning and giving possession to Mark Barry. The ball went down the line at pace finding Ross Young in familiar territory out wide. A blitzering attack was supported inside first by Howard Stock and then by Toby Davison who put on the finishing touch. A really good effort and this time Paul Spowart didn’t hook his effort into West Dene Estate.29-3.
The score against seemed to inspire Aspatria. Some of their bigger players began to carry the ball with effect. Percy Park are well organised and they dealt with the threat well whilst keeping their discipline on the offside line. One such effort from Aspatria took them to our try line but a mass of committed bodies kept the ball up. A kick from behind the goaline regaining territorial advantage. Tough on the visiting team. They were enjoying some of their best moments of their day.
All that good work came to nothing as a horrendous pass was seized by the Percy Park forwards. The ball was moved quickly with Park eventually ending with a throw deep in the Aspatria 22. Josh Hedley went up gathered and was not challenged. On the spin he set off, felled just before the line. His team mates were quickly over with Michael Birkett adding to his earlier score. Try converted 36 to 3
As we entered the last 10 minutes an early push followed by a very audacious Niall Combe spoil gave Aspatria a quick tap and go. Combe literally stole the ball off the player’s foot as he made the first attempt at a quick tap. As we scrambled back Niall Combe failed to release. Another quick tap and Aspatria were through the line. Despite some up front tackling from Percy Park Aspatria kept the ball alive. Phil Dixon crossing the line for a fully committed try. The conversion was missed.
Percy Park responded in the best way possible. Straight up the other end to score. Toby Davison created the space with a few moves on the turf before Andrew Walker kicked through and behind. Sam McDonald helping the ball along. Then it was a straight race between Walker and McDonald. An Aspatria player was nowhere in sight. Walker winning the duel as he appeared to push McDonald out of the way. Well that’s how Sam McDonald saw it. McDonald was straight over to report his version of events before anyone else could interject. The truth might be a slightly different variant. Try scored. Conversion taken. 43 points to 8.
From the kick off we entered the games red zone. Percy Park dealt with the restart effectively by clearing the ball and taking the game to a line out in the visitors half. Winning their ball Aspatria came up the pitch. Finding gaps through some tired legs they created a’ two on one’ and went to the left hand corner. Persistence paid off and they scored a consolation try. Disappointing from Park’s perspective. The conversion taken from the touch line. The kick was a good one and happened to be the final kick of the game. 43 to 15 the final score.
Apologies for being slightly late on this week’s effort as I have been replacing my back fence which mysteriously incurred two snapped posts. My little tarantula insisting repair before report. Although I often prefer to give that little cherub the final say today the final word has to go to the Tynemouth League of Gentlemen who sponsored this weeks game. Gentlemen many thanks for your fund raising effort without your support we would be that much poorer! You will always have our thanks.
Representing Percy Park RFC:
From 15: Paul Spowart. Howard Stock, Andrew Walker, Ross Young, Sam McDonald, Toby Davison and Charley Miller.
From 8: Michael Langlands, Jake Smith, Jonny Dubois, Chris Reekie, Josh Hedley, Matty Atkinson, Daniel Shuttleworth and Aaron Smith
Finishers: Mark Barry, Niall Combe and Michael Birkett.
