NORTH 1 EAST

WEST HARTLEPOOL 23 – 10 PERCY PARK

Park travelled to windswept Hartlepool and hats off (in some cases literally), to both sets of supporters for braving the elements, with a couple of woolly hats having to be retrieved from the surrounding shrubbery, but mostly praise should go the players for an entertaining game for the purists. Although conditions dictated that most of the game was trench warfare battled out through the forwards, wind gusting at over 50 mph was as much a hindrance as a help to both sides although Gav Painter for West made use of the tail wind for 2 long range first half penalties.

Park made a few enforced changes to the squad, with Lome Fa’atau, John Scott and Ali Blair all unavailable. After a good showing for the Lions last week, Chris (Tank) Reekie made his season’s debut for the 1^st XV in the back row.

West kicked off with a howling gale at their backs and scored first with a Painter penalty. Park responded with try by skipper Andy Dunn after a driving maul from a line out in the home side 22.

NORTH 1 EAST

WHEATLEY HILLS 17 – 22 PERCY PARK

If it hadn’t been for an interception, a penalty try and 3 missed penalty kicks, Wheatley would have won this game, so the local wisdom goes, and it was a little like history repeating itself, but this time Park were the winners – just.

Park made a couple of changes in the back division with Lome Fa’atau and John Scott both carrying injuries from the previous week’s exploits. Guido Danil made his first senior start at fullback and Paul Spowart came in at fly half. Austin Phillips was also rewarded with a start in the boiler-room following good performances from the bench in the previous two games.

As in the game at Brunel Road last year Ali Blair opening the scoring with a 70 yard dash snaffling an intercepted pass after a sustained period of attack by the home side. Guido Danil kicked the conversion on 15 minutes for a 7 – 0 lead.

The visitors went further ahead as Andy Dunn charged down the left flank after a line-out. Although he was stopped by the cover defence, the ball was quickly recycled and Argentinean Guido Danil hit the line at pace to score his first Park try. Unfortunately against a stiff breeze, the conversion fell short.

NORTH 1 EAST

PERCY PARK 27 – 19 DONCASTER PHOENIX

Percy Park stoked the burning embers of last week’s away performance at Driffield to set fire to the Doncaster Phoenix record of 37 straight league wins, toppling them from top spot in North 1 East ending a 20 month unbeaten run. Park have a habit of raising their game against league leaders as last season and the one before saw an undefeated Dinnington, then Sheffield and Chester before them lose at Preston Avenue.

Park welcomed back skipper Andy Dunn to the side, and with fullback Michael Groves out injured Lome Fa’atau moved to full back. Ricki Hasnip also returned to inside centre, and several of the Donny players will no doubt be nursing bruised bodies from their efforts in trying to stop his bullocking runs throughout the game.

The home side had all the early exchanges in a fast paced game in which the visitors seldom emerged from their own half for the first 10 minutes. John Scott assumed kicking duties and was just off target with his first penalty attempt, but Park did open their account with a try from Ricki Hasnip on 16 minutes. After several phases of play Ali Blair came back on an inside angle but was stopped on the 22. The recycle ball was moved left and fellow centre Ricki Hasnip took another inside ball to burst through juggling the ball to keep control before powering over the line. John Scott kicked the conversion from in front of the posts.

NORTH 1 EAST

DRIFFIELD 17 – 13 PERCY PARK

Week 9 of the 2015/16 league campaign saw Percy Park travel to East Yorkshire to meet Driffield, who prior to the game were in 10^th place in the table, four places behind Park. Both teams have had a mixed start to the season, and the game itself was a good spectacle for the neutral spectator and could have gone either way, although the home side prevailed with Park coming away with a losing bonus point.

Park made several changes to their team due to injury or non-availability, with skipper Andy Dunn sidelined which allowed Jonny Dubois to start at hooker. George Purdy, Harry Watson, Ricki Hasnip and Kieran Sutherland all missed the trip, but coach Lome Fa’atau and Craig Smith both made their 1^st XV debuts and both played influential parts in a much improved team performance than the last showing against Northern.

Park kicked off with the wind and sun at their backs and full back Michael Grove opened the scoring for the visitors with a third minute penalty. Both sides were playing an open and fast game but a trip on Ali Blair saw centre Alex Piercy sin binned on the nine-minute mark.