PERCY PARK 12 – 24 CLECKHEATON

Cleckheaton edged this warm up game of four quarters by 4 tries to 2 with both clubs missing one or 2 key players. Park opened the scoring with a try on 1^st XV debut by Jamie Drysdale after fellow centre Guy Pike made a telling break through midfield. Cleck soon hit back through James Wilson just before the first break and with the conversion the visitors took the lead.

 In the second period, Cleckheaton scored twice again through Wilson and influential number 8 Richard Piper after some good driving mauls took them deep into Park territory.

 In the third spell the Yorkshire outfit scored right on the whistle when it appeared the scorer had been bundled into touch, but the try was given to the delight of the travelling support.

 In the last period Park scored through another debutant Ollie Walker, and the conversion by Phil Morse made the final score 12 – 24.

 Park were able to try out several newcomers and look forward the Cup encounter next Saturday at Preston Avenue against Northumbria University. KO 3pm.

PERCY PARK LIONS 35 -19 WESTOE II

Two late tries by Westoe made the score – line look a little closer than the true facts of the game. Churchill scored the first of two tries to open Park’s account. There were also tries from Williamson, Smith and newcomer Kinnel who showed his power scoring from long range. Skipper Smith led the side well and there were promising performances from debutants Berne, Kinnel and Jonny Birkett.

 Man of the match was Liam Scott at openside, showing no nerves in stepping up from the Academy to the seniors.

NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR SHIELD

PERCY PARK LIONS 33 – 8 ALNWICK II

This was the fifth time in as many years Percy Park Lions had progressed to the final of the County No2 Competition, strangely but no doubt historically named the Senior Shield although the winners were presented with a fine silver cup.

Park had lost out in the previous 2 seasons at the hands of Corbridge Centurions and Alnwick II, who were both in the semi-final due to be played on the 15^th March 2014, with the Tynedale side conceding the tie to give Alnwick a place in the final.

The game took place at Whitley Bay Rockcliff ,  a happy hunting ground for Park in recent years, as it proved again with the Lions running out winners 33 – 8. Alnwick started well but it was Park who notched first with Michael Groves retrieving a chip through to go over for the score that Paul Spowart converted from an acute angle.

Both sides competed fiercely and it wasn’t until the 32^nd minute that that lock Josh Hedley using his 6’9” frame powered over to score with Spowart converting the extras. Stu Findlay scored wide out just before the break to take Park into the second half 19 – 0 ahead.

PERCY PARK 67 – 0 WHITLEY BAY ROCKCLIFF

Both clubs decided to rest 1^st XV players for the annual Boxing Day clash, which this year was staged at Preston Avenue. Rockcliff had more 1^st teamers watching the game in the bar than they had on the pitch, as coach Jack Lambert made it plain that his priority was winning Durham & Northumberland 2, rather than maintaining tradition, much to the chagrin of many of the supporters.

Park fielded a mainly Lions XV with some 1^st XV players in the starting pack and a couple on the bench. Rockcliff did not reveal their team selection until and hour before kick off and in the end fielded a mixed bag of Ist XV, Vikings, Rangers, guests. Some of the travelling supporters felt that a full Rock 1^st XV would have benefitted by testing themselves against a strong side, but that was not to be as Park ran in 11 unanswered tries.

UBS CANDY LEAGUE DIVISION 1

PERCY PARK 48 – 28 DARLINGTON MOWDEN PARK

 A blistering second half sealed victory for the Lions as they scored 36 unanswered points to inflict the first league defeat of the season against leaders Darlington Mowden Park II. Park were down in the first 3 minutes when Mowden scored a converted try. Inside 12 minutes the home side went further behind when a clearance kick from the 22 was charged down and signs looked ominous at 0 – 14. When Percy Park conceded another converted try and were behind by 21 points things looked bleaker and it seemed as though the boys in black and white were in for a tough day at the office.

 Then on 28 minutes an inspirational solo try by skipper Jonny Dubois gave his side hope that they could stem the flow of points and hit back

 Mowden responded almost immediately with another converted try to give them an early bonus point and with time ebbing away in the first half, Park were awarded a scrummage in Darlington territory. A number 8 pick up by Jack Davison and a pass to scrum half Stevie Irving set play away down the left hand flank and Oscar Pritchard receive the try scoring pass to go over the line for an unconverted try. The half time whistle went and Park were down 12 – 28 and the supporters could have no perception as to how the tide would turn and Mowden capitulate so spectacularly.