West Hartlepool Stags 33 - 26 Percy Park Lions

The 29th October saw the Lions return to action with a friendly fixture away at West Hartlepool . I say Lions , Cubs would have been more appropriate , with the squad boosted with 8 of the colts . Emperor Ishida picking up the fixture when West played the 1st xv at Preston Avenue , the Hartlepool side keen to pick up a competitive fixture having decided to play in the Candy League Division 2 this season . 

So we lined up like this ; Gould , Sim , Sutherland Jnr , Danil , Thomas , Ben , GIlmore , Hennessey , Tristan , Jake , Sanderson , Phillips , Nairn , Kidd , Birkett , subs , James , Josh , Liam , Jacob , Gurling and Whitfield . 

As the players met at Preston Avenue on another beautiful Saturday afternoon , there was disbelief all round. They were shocked with the news that last weeks hero , had been omitted from the match-day squad . I know , I can imagine anybody reading this article will be aghast , mouth open at reading that news ! 77-3 , a man of the match performance , and he doesn't even make the bench ! Fortunately , a huge squad had been assembled , allowing Jobson Snr to rest , no doubt he will be required next week such is the unpredictability of players availability . Last week the Lions totalled 13 , 5 of that 13 weren't present this week , but today we were able to relax with a full compliment .

Park started as follows ; Ward , Pollock , Kidd , Langlands , Saint , Warren , Henessey , Lenahan , Gilmore , Dale , Baldwin , Scott , Danil , Caufield , Gould . Former Seghill 'Waterboy' and international referee would get the game underway , with Park attacking towards Bobby's tree . The Lions started brightly but weren't cohesive enough to keep Arthur Turnbull busy on the scoreboard .
The visitors were first to score . A penalty on their own 10m line was kicked to touch just outside the Park 22 . At the lineout , Billingham threw to the middle and won clean ball for their backs . A cheeky little move bringing in the blindside winger through the Park midfield and over the fullback to score . 0-7 .

Morpeth Reivers 3 - 77 Percy Park Lions

It's great when a plan comes together . Saturday 24th September 2016 will be remembered as the day a very very very cunning plan was devised and executed superbly . It was a plan as cunning as a fox what used to be Professor of Cunning at Oxford University but has moved on and is now working for the UN at the High Commission of International Cunning Planning . In short , travel to Morpeth with 13 players , lure the opposition into a false sense of security , get the coach dressed into a playing kit to make 14 players , continually switch players from forwards to backs , backs to forwards , have your 9 who's never played 9 playing 15 as well , permanent open side winger coming into the line outs , and anything else we fancied doing because today was the day of 'The Incredible Plan ' .

The sun certainly had its hat on yesterday at Preston Avenue , Hawaiian shirts and a flaming bbq would have been a better accompaniment to the weather as temperatures soared . Percy Park Lions entertained there namesakes from Alnwick in a Candy League encounter .
Park were keen to build on last weeks victory over Northern , but expected a much tougher encounter against an Alnwick side which sat top of the table after victories in their opening two matches . As is the norm , there were several changes to last weeks side and the following players pulled on the famous black and white shirt ; Nairn , Pollock , Kidd , Saint , Phillips , Sanderson , Webber , Lenahan , Gilmore , Dale , Sim , Jobson , Danilli , Thomas , Gould , subs , Casey , Dryden , Mcdine , Kay .