NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 27 – 19 DONCASTER PHOENIX

Percy Park stoked the burning embers of last week’s away performance at Driffield to set fire to the Doncaster Phoenix record of 37 straight league wins, toppling them from top spot in North 1 East ending a 20 month unbeaten run. Park have a habit of raising their game against league leaders as last season and the one before saw an undefeated Dinnington, then Sheffield and Chester before them lose at Preston Avenue.

Park welcomed back skipper Andy Dunn to the side, and with fullback Michael Groves out injured Lome Fa’atau moved to full back. Ricki Hasnip also returned to inside centre, and several of the Donny players will no doubt be nursing bruised bodies from their efforts in trying to stop his bullocking runs throughout the game.

The home side had all the early exchanges in a fast paced game in which the visitors seldom emerged from their own half for the first 10 minutes. John Scott assumed kicking duties and was just off target with his first penalty attempt, but Park did open their account with a try from Ricki Hasnip on 16 minutes. After several phases of play Ali Blair came back on an inside angle but was stopped on the 22. The recycle ball was moved left and fellow centre Ricki Hasnip took another inside ball to burst through juggling the ball to keep control before powering over the line. John Scott kicked the conversion from in front of the posts.

NORTH 1 EAST

DRIFFIELD 17 – 13 PERCY PARK

Week 9 of the 2015/16 league campaign saw Percy Park travel to East Yorkshire to meet Driffield, who prior to the game were in 10^th place in the table, four places behind Park. Both teams have had a mixed start to the season, and the game itself was a good spectacle for the neutral spectator and could have gone either way, although the home side prevailed with Park coming away with a losing bonus point.

Park made several changes to their team due to injury or non-availability, with skipper Andy Dunn sidelined which allowed Jonny Dubois to start at hooker. George Purdy, Harry Watson, Ricki Hasnip and Kieran Sutherland all missed the trip, but coach Lome Fa’atau and Craig Smith both made their 1^st XV debuts and both played influential parts in a much improved team performance than the last showing against Northern.

Park kicked off with the wind and sun at their backs and full back Michael Grove opened the scoring for the visitors with a third minute penalty. Both sides were playing an open and fast game but a trip on Ali Blair saw centre Alex Piercy sin binned on the nine-minute mark.

NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 18 – 23 NORTHERN

Northern’s game management was the key to their win at Preston Avenue coupled with a lack lustre performance by the home side. The visitor’s seemed to want the win more and Park looked sluggish at times, although they started brightly as Northern kicked off with the wind and slope advantage.

For the first 4 minutes Percy Park took the play to the visiting side, and should have scored but canny play by one or two of the Northern forwards slowed ball down enough to deny the try but Park did come away with 3 points when Michael Grove kicked a penalty.

Ex Sheffield fly half Donal Collins kicked well pinning Park back after several attacks were repelled. There were good breaks in midfield by Ricki Hasnip and John Scott but the support play wasn’t on hand and scoring opportunities went begging. The best chance came as Josh Hedley made a break for the line but was tackled short and Park couldn’t capitalise on the field position.

NORTH 1 EAST

SOUTH SHIELDS WESTOE 17 – 37 PERCY PARK

Percy Park claimed the bragging rights with a bonus point win in the North/South Shields derby at Wood Terrace. Park scored almost from the kick off with only 35 seconds on the clock as full back Michael Grove finished off a move without the home side touching the ball other than from the kick itself. Karl Thompson claimed the ball from the start and offload to Josh Hedley before Ethan Wilson drove on. The ball was spun to the back line and Ali Blair found Michael Grove on hand to run in the try shrugging off the would be tackler as he crossed the line.

Westoe struck back minutes later with a penalty before an ugly incident saw Ali Blair lifted off the ground and driven into the perimeter fence. Craig Olugbode was yellow carded for the tackle but Ali Blair was also sent to the bin for retaliation.

Michael Grove kicked Park further ahead when the home side were penalised for another dangerous tackle and then with his second try and conversion it was South Shields Westoe 3 – 15 Percy Park with all Park’s points coming from the young full back Michael Grove.

In the program notes for the game, the physical nature of the previous week’s encounter Wheatley Hills and South Shields Westoe was mentioned, but it was Westoe who this week were guilty of a string of high tackles which saw hooker Grant Walker shown a yellow on 32 minutes then second row Andrew Kirton was sent to the cooler 3 minutes later for a tip tackle.

Park took advantage of the numerical advantage when Kieran Sutherland chipped over the heads of the rush defence and retrieved the ball and dived over the try line for the score on 39 minutes. Michael Grove hit the post with the conversion attempt that bounced out to deny the extra 2 points.