Candy Cup

Northern Wanderers 0 - 60 Percy Park Lions

Pre Match Craic

Skipper Jake with the 1xv Mark retaining the captaincy Shaun, Ross and Dan Ward all return to form a new front row Josh Lake returning from injury and Josh Hedley from his adventures Tom making a welcome appearance after joining from Blaydon Kyle Sutherland playing his first game at 9 Riki and Charlie forming a new centre partnership Colt Harry making his second appearance the first being in the previous Northern game Colt Andrew at 10 Eddie, Leo and Beans also returning to the Lions.

In all a much changed side from the last outing against Blaydon and thankfully a much changed attitude. From receipt of the kick off Park took the game to Northern, the pressure resulted in a penalty kick to touch and from the resultant line-out, which was expertly driven over, the first points of the game. Sadly amongst all the early excitement Park lost Josh Lake with a shoulder injury meaning an early introduction for the destructive Eddie Saint who weighed in with 2 tries.

Park Lions 5 Blaydon Georgians 62

Pre Match Craic

• Injuries and unavailability’s meant Park unable to field a front row
• New look team including several returning faces
• A third of the squad made up of current Academy players.
• Tom G absent (report courtesy of Stu’s video analysis)

When you are beaten by a better side the best thing to do is reflect and try to learn from the experience. Park were well beaten by a bigger, stronger, better drilled Blaydon Georgians  side but if Park can take anything away from this game it’s that they were the better side in the 1^sthalf!

Starting brightly, with the wind at their backs, Park dominated the early exchanges, Ben C providing a solid lineout platform, the back row having the best of the breakdown and the backs defending and running hard.

An early break by fullback Ben A saw him round the defence and draw the cover, running out of space he placed a deft diagonal chip in for the winger to chase, caught by the wind the ball just rolled dead after an unlucky bounce.

Aggressive Park rucking was winning a number of penalties and with Cowell providing steady possession Park went close from three lineouts. Eventually the pressure told when from the base of a ruck Niall C forced his way over. 

Park Lions 76 – Gosforth Phoenix 7

Pre Match Craic

• Thomas T helping with 1XV
• Strong squad with a good mix of experience and youth
• Big welcome to Tom having his first run out for Park at 7
• Colts:  James, Dylan, Josh H, Josh W, Josh U, Andrew adding considerable pace, skill and commitment to the squad.
• Skipper Jake Smith taking over water boy duties after his unfortunate air bag testing incident.
• Mark Sanderson taking over leadership roles.
• And finally Ross Young once more showing that he can complain from just about any position on the pitch - the versatile youngster starting at 9, deputising at hooker and finishing in the back row.

Park Lions 76 – Gosforth Phoenix 7

Park started with a bang, the restart was well taken deep in the 22, a series of quick “pick and go’s” compressed the Gosforth defence then a sweeping move across the back line resulted in a superb try in the corner.  The game finished on a similar note when Park set of from their own line, created space and sent Kepa off on a 60m sprint to the line.

In between these scores Park did not have everything their own way. Having established a 15 – 0 lead within 15 minutes on the clock (3 tries), Gosforth struck back when their forwards bludgeoned their way over for 7 points. For most of the remaining half Park had ascendency in the lineout, where Aaron continued to dominate and parity in the scrum, but were coming second best in the close contact. However, with young Andrew Walker creating space at 10 for Rikki and Leo to exploit and with real gas on the wings Park always looked dangerous. As half time approached the Park pack decided to show their determination and following a series of close drive breached the Gosforth line (20 – 7). From the kick off Walker split the Gosforth defence for a try well converted by Anderson for a 27-7 Half Time lead.

Sensible words at half time meant a simple 10 minute strategy was deployed in the 2nf half.

Excellent use of the wind by Rikki and Steven saw Park pin Gosforth deep in their 22. As predicted tries followed as Gosforth, unable to kick their way out of trouble, ran out of options and conceded possession.

Percy Park Lions 24 – 43  Middlesbrough Wasps

Once again the Park Lions were left to rue a poor first half and a lack of players.

Pre match craic...

Thomas T in transit to game so unable to start

Dan Ward pops his shoulder in the warm up meaning Park cannot field a front row

Austin running late

18 yr old Ben Cowell comes out of "retirement"

Josh Cheung at the wrong ground but makes it back from Northern in time for kickoff

Numbers boosted by Kyle who we found in the Carpark

Boro sportingly provide a forward.

The Match

A host of unavailabilities, promotions to the 1xv and illness meant Park were scratching around for players pre- kickoff. Boro sportingly provided a player only for Dan Ward to put his shoulder out passing the ball pre warm-up.