NORTH 1 EAST

MORPETH 29 – 19 PERCY PARK

With this game being a re-arranged match, with the scheduled game postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, both teams had key personnel missing, but nevertheless the crowd were treated to a decent game with the home side edging it in the last 10 minutes.

There were 3 more names to add to Park’s expanding list of players used so far this season with youngsters Sam Jobson and Tom Collins joining the squad, both starting on the bench, and getting a run out in the second half, and Phil Morse starting at fly-half.

Morpeth opened the scoring somewhat against the run of play on 12 minutes when wing Ben Turner crossed in the right hand corner for an unconverted try. The visitors struck back within a couple of minutes as Guy Pike went over after 2 good offloads by Josh Hedley then Sonny Phil Morse. Michael Grove kicked the conversion to take the lead 7-5.

The home side went in front once again, also scoring down the right flank as lively wing Andy Gayner retrieved a chip ahead and ran closer to the posts to make the conversion by James Phillips a little easier. Morpeth had a chance to go further in front when Park were penalised for holding on in the tackle and Phillips added the 3 points for a 15 – 7 lead.

NORTH 1 EAST

NORTHERN 29 – 24 PERCY PARK

Northern were handed a lifeline towards league safety as they moved outside the relegation zone with a bonus point win. Park should have put the McCracken Park side away when comfortably ahead 24 -12 in the second half, but the home side battled to take the lead 8 minutes before time.

Percy Park were forced into making no fewer than 6 changes to the side that sneaked a one point win over Westoe, with coach Lome Fa’atau coming into the team for the injured Rich Berne, and lock Eddie Saint and Lions skipper Steve Lenehan making their 1^st XV debuts.

On a decent surface, both sides played open rugby that at times was a little frantic with defensive lapses opening up gaps all over the field. Park started brightly showing that they can play good rugby and punished Northern when Michael Langlands went over in the corner in the 24^th minute after a long period of pressure during which the hosts conceded numerous penalties and were reduced to 14 with a player sent to the sin bin.

Northern struck back within minutes when centre Harrison Clark carved a gap through the Park midfield to score an unconverted try to level the scores.

Park seemed to have the upper hand in the scrums and scored their second try from a set scrum when Ethan Wilson broke feeding scrum half Davy Kay who put Michael Grove in space. The Park full back had wing Lome Fa’atau in support but backed himself for the line and scored, converting his own try to lead 12 – 5.

NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 6 - 5 SOUTH SHIELDS WESTOE

Percy Park completed the double over local rivals South Shields Westoe, but it was a close run thing that could have gone in favour of the visitors right up to the last play of the game.

Park made a few changes to last week’s team, with Michael Langlands being ruled out with a toe injury, and Thomas Turnbull bringing much needed experience to the back line, coming in at fly half.

If last week was soggy, this week was even worse as torrential over night rain continued throughout the day, making it a game for the forwards who enjoy truffling around in such muddy conditions.

Westoe kicked off with an easterly wind at their backs and took the game to Park from the off, certainly not lacking effort and enthusiasm which could so easily be the case for any team propping up the league.

NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 5 - 23 ALNWICK

Once again the weather gods weren’t kind to either player or spectator as rain fell on a soggy pitch making for a miserable day unless you were an Alnwick supporter. The Greenfields side had won the earlier fixture at Alnwick and were looking to cement their fourth place in the league. Park were hoping to end run of losses to move well away from the relegation zone in this re-arranged game with the scheduled game on the 9^th January being postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. In the end the visitors prevailed.