SSE NORTH DIVISION PLAY – OFF

PERCY PARK RFC (North 1 East) v Liverpool St.Helens FC (North 1 West)

Percy Park will start the 2012/13 season in the National Leagues after winning a nail biting promotion play off 18 – 12 against a spirited Liverpool St.Helens side. It could have been a case of history repeating itself, when Park were defending a 6 points lead with only minutes to go, having been under the cosh for a sustained period at the end of the game. LSH broke down the right hand side and had the pass to Neil Hull gone to hand, the visitors would have had a kick at goal to steal the game by a single point at the death. Fortunately for Park the ball was spilled five metres from the line, and a certain try went begging.

Park made a few last minute changes to the bench prior to the game, with influential lock Craig Fidler failing a late fitness test. Sean Williamson came in and was soon in action as Michael Langlands had to leave the field on 8 minutes after a nasty cut resulting from an accidental clash of heads left him requiring 21 stitches. Ali Blair was nursing a tight hamstring, so coach, James Ponton made the decision to bring in a second back replacement rather than go with 3 forwards. Alun Barlow was the lucky recipient although he didn’t actually get on the pitch. Johnny Dubois was the replacement unlucky to miss out.

The North 1 East runners up opened the scoring with two Phil Morse penalties in the first half in a game so well managed by the officials that there were only 9 penalties conceded in the whole game. Park elected to take the wind advantage in the first half, and Ash Smith kept the Liverpool side playing in their own half with some good positional kicking.

BILLINGHAM 29 – 7 PERCY PARK

Billingham finished their season in style topping the 100 points mark with this 29 – 7 win over a Percy Park side with one eye on the play off next week. The Teesiders return to the National Leagues at the first time of asking after being relegated to North 1 East last season, and Park have a chance to join them if they win the promotion play-off game at Preston Avenue against Liverpool St.Helens.

Just before kick off the heavens opened which made handling difficult for both teams, but the home side seemed to cope better with the conditions and opened the scoring after 20 minutes as Park failed to clear their lines after a territorial kick by Billingham. Two minutes later they crossed the try line again, before Park’s problems were compounded with Andy Dunn being sin-binned, then fly half Phil Morse left the field with an injury.

NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR CUP

PERCY PARK 12 – 6 TYNEDALE RAIDERS

Captain John Scott led from the front and kept the cup away from Tynedale’s grasp for a second consecutive season as his side won a close, forward orientated contest in the damp gloomy conditions at Ashington. Park had to make a few changes to the side that defeated Durham City at the weekend, with lock Craig Fidler and fly half Ash Smith both out with injury and Kai Downey Stephenson back with the marines. Michael Langlands came into the second row to partner James Ponton and Phil Morse stepped in at outside half, while Liam Blackburn came back into the team at centre and Alun Barlow at full back. 

Games between the two sides in recent years have been a close affair and so it proved last evening with both defences holding firm, meaning the game was fought out between Phil Morse and Will Massey with the Park fly half coming out on top kicking 4 of his 5 attempts at goal to seal victory for his side. 

Early in the second half the game was marred with a nasty leg injury to Johnny Ward, and the game was held up for several minutes as the young Park winger was taken from the field on a stretcher, awaiting an ambulance from nearby Wansbeck Hospital.

PERCY PARK 34 – 10 DURHAM CITY

Promotion chasing Percy Park did enough to secure a play off place against the runners up of North 1 West, despite a jittery performance against a City team who were safe from relegation. Park went with the same side that started against Northern the previous week, apart from George Purdy coming in for the unavailable Alan Blakey. Three tries in each half gave Park the 5 points needed to ensure they could not be caught in second place. After the match news filtered through that two of the contenders for the play off place in North 1 West had lost which means that even if Park were to lose at Billingham in the final scheduled league game of the season, they have the better playing record and would secure home advantage for the play off for the National Leagues on 28^th April 2012.

On a bright but chilly afternoon, Park won the toss and elected to kick against the wind. City scored first with a penalty on 8 minutes from the boot of scrum half Paul Armstrong, before Park scored their first try of the game after a neat offload by Andy Dunn set Greg Dixon down the right flank to score. The conditions weren’t favourably for goal kicking into a cross wind and Phil Morse scuffed his conversion attempt.

Park had several chances to score, but stubborn City defence kept them at bay until the 33^rd minute before Jonny Ward scored the first of his three tries, after John Scott faked to move left from the base of a scrum and pirouetted right to find the Park right wing in space.