NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR CUP

TYNEDALE RAIDERS 10 – 29 PERCY PARK

Percy Park progressed to the final of the Northumberland Senior Cup and will meet Morpeth at 1pm on Easter Saturday at McCracken Park the home of Northern FC.

Park had the luxury of keeping almost the same squad as last week with the same back line that now seems to be starting to click. Michael Grove opened the Park account with a 4^th minute penalty as Tynedale were punished for coming in at the side of a ruck.

All the early pressure came from Percy Park although the hosts, playing at Druid Park today with their own facilities still out of action due to the winter flooding at Corbridge, drew level with a penalty on 17 minutes.

Percy Park responded with a fine try from Toby Davison following a good kick return down the left hand flank. A deft pass from skipper Andy Dunn put fullback Michael Grove into space and he then passed back inside to Davison in support. The Park wing scored under the posts and Michael Grove slotted the conversion to give Park a 10 – 3 lead.

NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 30 - 20 DRIFFIELD

Continuing their improving performance, Park were 30 – 25 winners against Driffield courtesy of a brace of tries by Guy Pike, a first try for Eddie Saint and a flawless kicking display by Man of the Match Michael Groves.

There were a few changes again with Davy Kay and Josh Hedley unavailable, which saw Jimmy Baldwin come in at scrum half and Michael Langlands partnering Eddie Saint in the boiler room. Wings Rich Berne and Toby Davison both returned from injury.

Park started with purpose and immediately had Driffield on the back foot. Penalties in the first 10 minutes allowed Michael Groves to kick Park into a 6 – 0 lead before the visitors came back. A lapse in the home side defence allowed centre Chris Sadler through and he found wing Gary Stephenson who scored close to the posts to assist the conversion by Will Brigham, and the Woldsmen led 7 – 6.

Percy Park struck back immediately with a break down the right wing, after Jimmy Baldwin took a quick tap from a free kick to set the back line loose. Toby Davison showed his pace beating a couple of players before passing back to Guy Pike who raced to the line and scored in exuberant fashion. Michael Grove kicked the extras to take Park ahead 13 -7.

NORTH 1 EAST

MORPETH 29 – 19 PERCY PARK

With this game being a re-arranged match, with the scheduled game postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, both teams had key personnel missing, but nevertheless the crowd were treated to a decent game with the home side edging it in the last 10 minutes.

There were 3 more names to add to Park’s expanding list of players used so far this season with youngsters Sam Jobson and Tom Collins joining the squad, both starting on the bench, and getting a run out in the second half, and Phil Morse starting at fly-half.

Morpeth opened the scoring somewhat against the run of play on 12 minutes when wing Ben Turner crossed in the right hand corner for an unconverted try. The visitors struck back within a couple of minutes as Guy Pike went over after 2 good offloads by Josh Hedley then Sonny Phil Morse. Michael Grove kicked the conversion to take the lead 7-5.

The home side went in front once again, also scoring down the right flank as lively wing Andy Gayner retrieved a chip ahead and ran closer to the posts to make the conversion by James Phillips a little easier. Morpeth had a chance to go further in front when Park were penalised for holding on in the tackle and Phillips added the 3 points for a 15 – 7 lead.

NORTH 1 EAST

NORTHERN 29 – 24 PERCY PARK

Northern were handed a lifeline towards league safety as they moved outside the relegation zone with a bonus point win. Park should have put the McCracken Park side away when comfortably ahead 24 -12 in the second half, but the home side battled to take the lead 8 minutes before time.

Percy Park were forced into making no fewer than 6 changes to the side that sneaked a one point win over Westoe, with coach Lome Fa’atau coming into the team for the injured Rich Berne, and lock Eddie Saint and Lions skipper Steve Lenehan making their 1^st XV debuts.

On a decent surface, both sides played open rugby that at times was a little frantic with defensive lapses opening up gaps all over the field. Park started brightly showing that they can play good rugby and punished Northern when Michael Langlands went over in the corner in the 24^th minute after a long period of pressure during which the hosts conceded numerous penalties and were reduced to 14 with a player sent to the sin bin.

Northern struck back within minutes when centre Harrison Clark carved a gap through the Park midfield to score an unconverted try to level the scores.

Park seemed to have the upper hand in the scrums and scored their second try from a set scrum when Ethan Wilson broke feeding scrum half Davy Kay who put Michael Grove in space. The Park full back had wing Lome Fa’atau in support but backed himself for the line and scored, converting his own try to lead 12 – 5.