Opening Bonus Point Win After Driffield Thriller
- Ken Bell
- Category: 1st XV Reports 24/25
- Hits: 2911
Saturday 7 September 2024
Percy Park 26 Driffield 25
Regional 1 North East
(HT: 21-17)
On a day when the club remembered one of its greatest players and administrators, Peter Spencer, Park hosted Driffield in the first league game of the season, a pulsating and thoroughly entertaining match providing a fitting tribute to the great man. The pre-match lunch was a celebration of Peter’s life and a minute’s applause was held prior to kick-off on a dry, sunny afternoon, perfect for rugby with very little breeze.
Driffield, the Yorkshire Cup holders, who finished fourth in this league last year were expected to provide stern opposition and they certainly did not disappoint, taking the lead late on before Park staged an incredible fight back to take the spoils. As our Regional 1 North East adventure begun, there were some new faces in the Percy Park side, with both Jordan Carey and Matthew French making their competitive debuts and both played pivotal roles in the win. There were late changes on the bench, with Sean Nairn and young Jacob German coming in to join Will Ponton. There are still several injury absentees, notably captain Howard Stock, and so flanker Jonny Dubois took the armband.
The visitors kicked off and immediately, Park showed their attacking intent, the ball being moved swiftly left along the back line. After two minutes, Driffield moved the ball infield from a scrum, but the ball was spilled and Oli Bartles-Smith hacked on only to be denied by last ditch defence, Park giving away a penalty through over eagerness at the breakdown. Park continued to probe the Driffield defence in the early stages with No 8 Matthew French to the fore, but promising positions were lost when Driffield turned the ball over. Driffield mounted their first serious attack after eleven minutes only to lose their scrumhalf who was forced off after suffering an ankle injury. Both sides were having problems holding on to the ball, but the game exploded into life after a quarter of an hour. From a lineout on the Driffield 10 metre line, the ball was moved left but at a breakdown, swift hands right had wing Seb Reece, at speed, crash through the Driffield defence. Support from Ash Smith and a thundering run from second row Josh Hedley had Park in the shadow of the visitor’s posts. Quick hands left had stand-off Fergus Simpson give the scoring pass to debutant fullback Jordan Carey who scored wide out on the left for a great try. Ash Smith kicked an excellent conversion, 16 minutes gone (7-0).
A minute later, Park scored again. Regaining possession after the restart, flanker Sam Digman made the initial breach, the ball then being moved at speed right into the hands of Seb Reece who, from halfway scythed through the Driffield defence with barely a hand laid on him to score a superb try underneath the posts which was converted by Smith (14-0).
The restart again had Park on the attack, but a dropped ball gave Driffield No 8 Will Hughes the opportunity to run hard into Park territory and with the home side penalised for a high tackle, Driffield suddenly had a lineout deep in the Park 22. They made the home side pay, several big carries being finished off by No 8 Hughes who scored just to the right of the posts on 25 minutes. The try was converted by stand-off Josh Stanyon, Driffield back in the game (14-7). The restart saw Park on the attack but a penalty for holding on after the tackle allowed Driffield the relieving kick which, while not finding touch, was knocked on and this again gave Driffield the chance to attack, The ball was moved left and, though it appeared that the move might have broken down in the tackle, left wing Owen Scurry was able to wriggle free on the home 22 to score just to the left of the posts, Stanyon converting, 30 minutes played (14-14).
After conceding two quick tries, Park needed to steady the ship and from the restart they did, probing the Driffield defence without turning over possession. A scrum midway in the Driffield half on the left had the ball moving right for fullback Carey to join the line and put in an excellent grubber kick into the Driffield in goal area. Seb Reece gave chase, but it looked for all the world as if the Driffield wing would win the race for the ball but somehow Reece touched down, a monumental effort for a stunning try immediately signalled by referee Ricky Handa. Smith kicked another excellent conversion, 35 minutes played (21-14).
As the half ticked down, Park lost their discipline somewhat and three successive Driffield penalties, the last for not rolling away after the tackle, allowed Josh Stanyon to punish the home side from the tee bringing a breathless first half to a close (21-17).
HT: Percy Park 21 Driffield 17
Park kicked off the second half, but it was the visitors who quickly got into their stride with the home side having to defend deep in their 22. Centre Reuban Kelly was stopped a metre from the try line before the ball was knocked on as it came left. The loose ball was snapped up and Park were immediately on the attack from the turnover with Oli Bartles-Smith and replacement Will Ponton trading passes with only desperate Driffield defence preventing another Park score. Both sides were turning over possession, but both were seeking to attack immediately when presented with turnover ball. A clever 50/22 kick from Carey on 48 minutes gave Park an excellent attacking platform and for the next five minutes or so they exerted real pressure on the Driffield defence. Sam Digman, Matthew French and Josh Hedley were prominent as was Will Hughes in defence and Park thought they had scored when scrumhalf Drew Walker looked to have gone over from a breakdown on the Driffield line, but the ball had been knocked forward.
Driffield were living dangerously and only just survived a Park maul when possession was again lost as the line beckoned but, having had almost no possession at all since half time, they gained a foothold in the game when Park knocked on close to halfway which enabled Driffield to repay the compliment with an excellent 50/22 kick of their own. From the lineout, Driffield were quickly awarded a penalty just outside of the 22, kicked by Stanyon, to reduce the deficit to just one point as the third quarter ended (21-20).
Although the Park restart faltered, they quickly regained possession and again put the visitors under sustained pressure with Driffield having to defend resolutely. Second row Josh Hedley eventually drove into the opposition 22 and with forwards and backs varying the point of attack, the damn had to break and when fellow second row Chris Reekie, running a fantastic line, crashed through two tackles to score Park thought that they had their just reward, but referee Handa signalled a double movement, penalty to Driffield. As Park looked to the referee in disbelief, Driffield fullback Joe Robinson who had been playing at scrumhalf since the eleventh minute took a quick tap penalty and less than a minute later, replacement Tom Brankley was scoring in the left-hand corner. A superb try after quick thinking by Robinson who saw the possibility with Park not concentrating after the disallowed Reekie score. However, fullback Jordan Carey, haring back, ensured Brankley touched down wide out and Stanyon missed the difficult conversion. Park stunned, 66 minutes played (21-25).
Back came Park, quickly securing possession after the restart and resorting again to all-out attack. No 8 Matthew French was immense but credit to Driffield, their defence was equal to everything the home side attempted and a breathless passage of play eventually came to an end when Park were awarded a scrum on the right in the Driffield 22. Seb Reece coming in off his wing crashed through two tackles, the ball was moved left and there was replacement Will Ponton to score the bonus point try, wide out on the left on 74 minutes, to the delight of his teammates and the home support. Ash Smith was unable to kick the difficult conversion (26-25).
The home defence kept Driffield in and around the Park 10 metre line and when they were penalised for a high tackle on 77 minutes, Stanyon was off target with the resulting penalty. Park regained possession after their 22 dropout was knocked on and they were able to see the last few minutes out relatively comfortably.
FT: Percy Park 26 Driffield 25
A fantastic match, played in a great spirit, and if this is Regional 1 rugby, then long may it continue! For Park, Matthew French, who deservedly received the Park man of the match, Josh Hedley and Sam Digman were outstanding up front while Seb Reece, Jordan Carey and, when he came on, Will Ponton were equally as good in the backs. Ash Smith kicked two very difficult conversions that ultimately saw us through but, that said, it seemed that every Park player at some point stood up to be counted in what was a fantastic team effort. A bonus point win is a great way to start the season and I have no doubt, Peter Spencer would have been proud.
Post match, coach Keith Laughlin summed up the match: “Job done! A great game, credit to Driffield, they are a good side. I thought both Jordan Carey and Seb Reece were electric today with Fergus Simpson able to get the backline moving brilliantly. We scored some great tries, and the bonus point was well deserved. What pleased me most was the way we never gave up after going behind. We had the courage and the wherewithal to come back and secure the win. As I said, a job well done!”
Driffield made Park fight hard and, particularly in the second half, their defence was outstanding. No 8 Will Hughes led by example and Joe Robinson also had an excellent game as an emergency scrumhalf. They had little possession after the break but when the opportunity arose, they were able to break out to score a spectacular length of the field try. We thank them for a great game and wish them the very best for the season and look forward to our trip to East Yorkshire for the return fixture. Our thanks also to referee Ricky Handa without whom there is no game.
The Lions did not fare as well against our Yorkshire opponents, losing 14-42, scoring two tries but conceding six.
Next week, Park travel to Halifax to take on Heath in what I believe is the first ever meeting between the sides, KO is 3pm. Closer to home, the Lions travel to Morpeth in the Candy League, KO at 3pm and on Sunday 15 September, the Panthers open their league campaign away at Penrith. All support would be most welcome.
Percy Park: 15 Jordan Carey; 14 Tom Robinson; 13 Oli Bartles-Smith; 12 Ash Smith; 11 Seb Reece; 10 Fergus Simpson; 9 Andrew Walker; 8 Matthew French; 7 Jonny Dubois ©; 6 Sam Digman; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Josh Hedley; 3 Matt Atkinson; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Aaron Smith
Replacements: Will Ponton, Jacob German, Sean Nairn
