Rockcliff 0 - 29 Percy Park
Like most derby matches, this one was eagerley awaited, but in true fashion, delivered little by way of entertainment. The Boxing Day crowd was full of expectation and trepidation in equal measure after Park opened the scoring inside 40 seconds when former Rock winger Jonny Gould went over in the corner for the visitors, but for the next hour their was little for the Park faithful to celebrate.
With Horden losing at Northern, Percy Park move back to second in Durham and Northumberland 1, by a clear two points with a game in hand. Sunderland travelled to Preston Avenue, their season so far blighted by injury and players leaving the club for pastures new, but hoping to retain the form that saw them defeat Yorkshire 1 side Skipton for a place in the last 32 of the EDF Energy Senior Vase. Park were able to field a strong side with the welcome return of Sam Walton to the pack after a shoulder injury and work commitments had kept him out of the 1st XV for the last 3 seasons.
EDF ENERGY SENIOR VASE ROUND 4 : PERCY PARK 24 – 6 BRIDLINGTON
Round 5 beckons, and on Tuesday Percy Park will know who they face in the last 8 of the North Division of the EDF Energy Senior Vase. The game against Yorkshire 1 side Bridlington took place in appalling weather conditions, and it is testimony to the hard work put in by the ground committee who were pumping water off the pitch all morning, that the game could still go ahead on a gloomy day with the fllodlights on from the very start.EDF ENERGY SENIOR VASE – ROUND 3 NORTH
PERCY PARK 37 – 24 NORTHERN
Percy Park go in the hat for Round 4 to be played on 13th December 2008, after winning 34 – 24, in a game dictated to by an icy wind blowing down the pitch, from which Park benefited in the first half and the visitors in the second period.
Both Park and Northern had made several changes to their sides, some enforced due to injury or unavailability, but in Park’s case with a view to playing some of the Lions players who were on the fringe of breaking into the 1st XV squad.
Ryton, to those who have played or supported there, is a windy and exposed site on which to play rugby, but it’s good for blowing away the cobwebs, or anything else that is not securely fastened down. The strong cross wind in part was instrumental in Park scoring their first try of the game.
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