Category: 1st XV Reports 18/19
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North One East
 
Pocklington RUFC 49 v Percy Park 20
 
Deacon to the second row as Park swim backwards
 
 
 
 
 
As some wag was oft to comment “Don’t go backwards you have already been there” summed up our performance as Percy Park struggled to get out of their half….in fact I’m sure the only thing we attacked with purpose during periods of this game was the floor. Percy Park travelled to Feathers Field to take on a resurgent Pocklington side without an experienced front row. Pocklington quickly found us out and deprived Park of any platform to attack; which was a great shame because we were lethal going forward. A fact emphasised by the actuality that we sored 4 tries and gained ourselves a very valuable bonus point. Not an easy feat when you appear to be going backwards for large periods of the game. 
 
Now before we all go ‘Brexit’ and get maudlin there were positives all over the field. Aiden Phillips and Mark Barry stepped into the fiery pit and by the end of the game enabled a very capable Ethan Clarke at 8 to dig the ball out at the back of the scrum and get us onto the front foot. Then there was the return of Cameron Coates who played really well and thankfully knows how to kick a ball. And young scrum half Jarred Deacon received the best coaching advice he will ever get on how to deal with a scrum that’s going backwards….”Don’t worry Jarred just stick it in the second row!!”…..win or lose there’s always humour somewhere….so how did this game play out?
 

Category: 1st XV Reports 18/19
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North One East
 
Percy Park RFC 17 v York RFC 19
 
'Park fail to kick and give York the win'
 
 
Percy Park suffered their first home loss of the season to a well organised and disciplined York side. As with ‘anything Percy Park’ there is always a ‘but’, or a ‘however’ and that came in the final third of this game. A missed conversion, two penalty kicks to the York corner that drifted past the wrong side of the flag and a decision not to take a penalty shot at goal at the death, despite the coach saying otherwise, were Parks undoing. Even if we had missed and the ball had gone dead, we would have had a ‘22 drop out’ and probably got the ball back!!....In the clubhouse afterwards we talked about learning through experiences…and I know we will…I have said it often enough…we are a good side…yet for me the biggest lesson to be learnt from this game is best summed up in a rather famous quote and it goes like this…. “If at first you don’t succeed……..try doing what your coach told you do to the first time”…..
 
For the spectator those last few minutes were really fraught. When ‘wor Clausy’ lovingly brought me a new cap for Noel, I really should have asked for the pull down version…you know the one that can cover your eyes…...as I looked around with two minutes to go many of the faithful had their eyes covered…If I had had the right type of hat I could have and probably would have joined in….
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What we can say is that the performance was one hundred percent (I could be bolder and say two hundred percent….but having already been accused of over exaggeration and writing fairy tales I will stick to one hundred percent) better than last week’s endeavours away to West Leeds. So then how did the game map out?
 

Category: 1st XV Reports 18/19
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North One East
West Leeds RUFC 31 v Percy Park RFC 22
“It might be a New Year but it’s not a happy start”

 
 


Recalling our second half performance away at Morley we all hoped that our season, would not and surely could not produce a crushing low as that; however on Saturday Percy Park produced a performance against a struggling and weakened West Leeds side that did just that…how we lost this game is beyond my understanding and thankfully my remit. I am aware that ‘the- debrief’ has already started and all the Percy Park faithful can hope for is that our players and coaching staff are able to ‘put things right’. What I can say, and what we can all see, is that we are so different away from home. Why is that? ... We are such a good side, full of really talented players who for some reason cannot replicate our excellent home form onto the road. It’s not a time to panic just yet. Eight points separate Park from the leagues twelfth placed side and a relegation place. However this game has to be a wake-up call. The results between teams in this league are such that we cannot just rely on our home form to ensure survival. It really is time that we started putting in some wins on the road.

Percy Park won (just about) every line out, every scrum. Totally dominated the forward area, scored 4 tries to West Leeds 3, played against 13 men and still lost. So then what is the story……..and in the telling I hope you will feel the pain of this very partisan supporter.

Category: 1st XV Reports 18/19
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The Boxing Day Bout

Rockcliff RFC 22 v Percy Park RFC 38

Rockcliff RFC Colts 12 v Percy Park Colts 51

‘Percy Park gather en-masse to storm the Red fortress’

 
 
Class in the backs
 
 

On a bright and sunny Boxing Day afternoon Rockcliff’s Hillheads ground was awash with partisan colour as the cousins met to decide who would be ‘wearing the crown’ for another year. With resplendent facilities, Rockcliff are on the up and the mood around their camp was buoyant; believing that this year was going to be their year. The pre match banter was boisterous and as the Park gladiators entered the arena in determined mood, the volume swelled and the anticipation intensified. First up into the coliseums heat strode the Park Colts side led on the day by Coach Al McDonald and Coach Mark ’Paul’ Jackson.

Park looked big and mean and from the kick off showed real intent by making deep incursions into the Rockcliff half. They had power and pace that saw wing Will Robinson score twice in quick succession. One conversion from Dan Jackson was sublime with the player notching from far out wide on the touchline. Park looked good and the score line ticked over, yet they also frustrated the supporter as overlaps and opportunities to score were wasted by players preferring the contact or playing with their head down to the artificial grass. One charge down and score by Thomas Moore reflected Parks superiority on the day as Rockcliff creaked under the pressure. However Rockcliff are not without their stars….their loose head prop and open side are really good players and although it was back to the wall stuff they had their moments pressing Park and scoring two tries of their own. Despite the score it was a great contest that had that ‘old Boxing Day thrill’ where emotions bubbled to the surface reflecting the players desire not to lose out to their ‘cousin from just around the corner’.

Next up the big event.

 

Category: 1st XV Reports 18/19
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North One East

Percy Park RFC 17 v Morpeth RFC 12

Storm Deidre did her best to dampen spirits but Park prevail and vanquish ‘The Mighty Peth’.

After last week’s grim result away at Cleckheaton Percy Park knew they had to put in a good shift in to beat a high flying Morpeth side. As kick off approached Storm Deidre began to show her mettle as she blew a bitter cold tempest across the Preston Avenue pitch. An icy squall that had all shivering in their boots. With many a spectator preferring the clubhouse to hugging a friend, the players took to the pitch and to their credit produced a great exhibition of nail biting rugby that held the interest right to the final whistle.

From the off Park kicked deep into Morpeth’s half and held a high defensive line that kept ‘the mighty Peth’ inside or on their 22. Sustained pressure that brought the knock on and turn over ball. With possession won scrum half Will Haskins fed the eager Charlie Greswold who barrelled through the line to set up the overlap. With Morpeth flapping and struggling to cover the defensive ground Park moved the ‘cherry and whites’ left to right with some punishing carries before settling on an area just to the left of the visitor’s posts. And there they hammered until the Morpeth defence creaked, groaned and gave way with Mark Barry, keeping his body position low, punching over the line to score. With the try converted Percy Park were ahead by 7 points with 3 minutes played.

  1. No festive cheer for Park
  2. Honours even as Park stay unbeaten at home
  3. On the road woes continue for Percy Park
  4. Deadly Haskins plays the conductor as Park slay brave Malton