SSE NATIONAL 3 NORTH

BRADFORD & BINGLEY 22 – 20 PERCY PARK

Park travelled to Bingley in West Yorkshire having made 2 changes to the side that had defeated Billingham the previous week. Andy Dunn was ruled out with an ankle injury and Ali Blair a ham string problem. Both hopefully should be available for the Burnage game in a fortnight.

 Back at the start of the season Park won 45 – 15 at Preston Avenue, although since then both sides have struggled reflecting their relative positions towards the bottom of National 3 North. The game itself on a wet pitch was fairly evenly matched, but the added commitment from the home side saw them take maximum points although Park did manage 2 bonus points and could have easily made it 3 had the last kick of the game been converted.

SSE NATIONAL 3 NORTH

PERCY PARK 40 – 24 BILLINGHAM

Percy Park stopped their run of consecutive defeats with a second half 33 point haul for a bonus point win in the Tyne Tees derby against Billingham. Park had won the reverse fixture earlier in the season and were looking for the double to kick start the second half of the season to secure National League rugby for next season.

 Park welcomed back Ali Blair and Josh Hedley both having been out for some time with injury. Billingham’s band of brothers were restricted to just 2 Evans with neither Shepherds nor Hyndmans in the squad.

 The game started with floodlights on early against the gloom although the fluorescent yellow Billingham kit was bright enough to save Park’s electricity bill. The promised rain did not materialise which allowed both sides to play some free flowing rugby in a game which had 10 tries.

SSE NATIONAL 3 NORTH

PERCY PARK 16 – 25 WESTOE

In the over warn cliché Percy Park won the second half, and taking the positives from the game could have sneaked a win with a converted try at the end, but Westoe to their credit defended a 22 – 0 first half lead even if for a spell it was “ squeaky bum time” for their supporters.

 The South Shields outfit went into an early lead as Park failed to secure the kick off, and from an overthrown line-out secured the ball which eventually found the hands of Samoan International Lome Fa’atau to cross with a minute on the watch.

 The gloomy but dry weather seemed to have permeated Park’s mood as they were unable to break out of their half, and when a clearance kick was charged down by their mobile lighthouse that was centre Chas Popp, he reclaimed the ball to cross under the posts for a try converted by fly half Mellish for 12 – 0 after just 6 minutes.

SSE NATIONAL 3 NORTH

STOCKPORT 39 – 6 PERCY PARK

Park slipped to 10^th in the league after a fourth successive defeat, this time at the hands of Stockport. The team and small band of supporters made the 155 mile trip to The Memorial Ground, Headlands Road in good spirits but knowing they had a tough game ahead against a side that had come down from National 2 last season.

 Once against coaches Walder and Mitcalf were unable to select the same side with further injuries and unavailability dogging the squad. Simon Greetham came into the team at inside centre with Alex Tilley at fly half for the unavailable George Lewis. Andy Dunn manfully moved across one place in the front row to tight head to accommodate Jonny Dubois, and with Ben Wilkinson on the bench Park’s squad had 3 hookers. Ethan Wilson came into the back row after injury and Rob Clymer made his 1^st XV debut moving up from the Lions to start on the bench.