PERCY PARK 20 – 17 BILLINGHAM

Billingham travelled to Preston Avenue on top of their game, and North 1 East having not lost at home or away all season.Park had lost the previous four games including a poor home performance against Pontefract, but welcomed back influential captain Brett Sylph. Coach Ponton kept faith with the side that competed well for 70 minutes last week away to Sandal, with Karl Campbell dropping to the bench to allow Michael Langlands back into the boiler room, and Brett back at number eight.

In the backs the side remained the same apart from Ollie Gilmore moving to wing for the unavailable Marcus Turner. Billingham named the same side that won at home to Old Crossleyans, but at the last minute fly half Joseph Evans was replaced as he had flu, so play maker and coach Chris Hyndman moved to the ten spot.

PERCY PARK PENGUINS 38 – 19 PERCY PARK MARAUDERS

Park fielded two 1^st Xv’s this Saturday and both ended their respective opponent’s unbeaten records. The current 1^st XV ended Billingham’s 100% record and the 1^st XV class of 95 defeated an under strength Marauders.

Percy Park was one of the few clubs in the county to support Northumberland’s initiative to keep specific weeks free to play development and veteran rugby. Whilst Park sent a youngish side to Ponteland to play Ponteland Development, they also played an Academy game against Alnwick Colts, but there were no takers for a veteran’s game, so the Marauders stepped in. In the days before mini rugby Percy Park Penguins played the odd social game on a Sunday with veterans taking the field for a trundle around the park, then a couple of beers before falling asleep on the sofa as the wife watch Mrs Minerva or some other such drivel on the box. So it was decided to try an put together a vets team, and Paul Jobson got on the blower and hey presto 20 odd players arrived some without boots to answer the call.

SANDAL 43 – 18 PERCY PARK

Although the score line would suggest this was an emphatic defeat for Park, the game was still in the balance until the 70^th minute, with an improved performance. Unfortunately Percy Park ran out of steam at the end and allowed a well drilled Sandal side to get on top with their impressive brand of 15 man rugby.

Percy Park 18 - 25 Pontefract

The conditions couldn’t have been better for a game of rugby, warm, bright, sunny, no wind to speak of, shirt sleeve order in fact, such a shame the game didn’t live up to the pre- match expectation.