Ponteland Tigers  0  vs  28  Percy Park Panthers
23^rd March 25

Percy Park travelled to Ponteland, under some pressure after a loss to Whitley Bay Rockcliffe in the previous game, and a close fought battle with Pont last time round.

The game started well, with both team committing to a physical battle, and some hard rucks from the off. A quick penalty in the first few minutes, awarded by the visiting referee from Andalucía, handed the ball to Park, and Lauren Calvert’s tap and go started a long period of possession for Park in the Ponteland 22. Pont’s attempts to relieve the pressure with long kicks downfield were ably anticipated by Caitlin Monteath-Stokoe at full back, and the Panthers found themselves able to reproduce their form from training, communicating well, going through the phases, and even attempting to get the ball to the wing.

Back on the halfway line, a slippy kick delighted the crowd, leading to a scrum, and the Panthers came away with the ball. Some strong breaks from Dom Hepples, Emily  Mather and Caitlin Ward among others, were absorbed by the Ponteland defence. Now nearing halfway, Panthers were looking the better team, but the points were still level.

Next up, Panthers started to put the ball through the hands, with a serious of successful passes covering the width of the pitch, and ending up with Alice Goodwin, making good ground along the wing, but eventually taken down by Ponteland. Percy Park kept up the pressure on the try line, but eventually conceded a penalty, and had to switch quickly into defensive mode, as Pont battled their way up the pitch. For the next 5 minutes, the Panthers committed to some big tackles, and kept their heads, eventually winning a penalty on their own 22, which Dom kicked to touch. But Pont soon won the ball back and got dangerously close to the line, before a great jackal by Nesha Wood rescued the Panthers. A series of carries and breaks, including from Jenny Wood, Lauren Calvert and Marie Watson, and a flashy display from backs, made the ground back up, before the ball got to captain Stef Gicquel, who did one of her trademark runs, cutting through the Ponteland players and placing the ball down between the posts. Dom Hepples, assuming kicking duties after some time away, slotted the conversation capably.

Following the restart, Stef found a way through the defence again and made a run from deep in her own half, with Caitlin Ward matching her pace and providing support. Passing the ball between each other, in a brilliant display, they made it past the full back, slipping through tackles before being taken into touch a couple of meters from the line. Amy Jennings managed to secure the loose ball from their line out and charged towards the line, but was held short, and a subsequent Ponteland interception led to a counterattack, but Park absorbed the pressure, and went into half time 0 – 7.

A messy restart gave Panthers a scrum on the halfway line.  Passing the ball down to the wing, with some great hands from Liv Shanks keeping it out of touch, Ponteland conceded a penalty. Dom’s boot found touch on the 22, and the Panthers executed a driving maul from the line-out straight, making 10 meters comfortably before sending the ball out, and losing possession. Caitlin Monteath-Stokoe committed to the chase, making a potentially try saving tackle. After a few minutes of battling in the rucks, Stef came away with the ball. Her break resulted in a penalty and Panthers line out within spitting distance of the try line, with both the backs and the forwards having a go at breaking through the defence. The attempt was held up, but the Panthers made the most of the goal line drop out, with Liv Shanks eventually making a great run and securing the Panthers their second try.

A third try came almost immediately, with Panther’s sticking to their game play, and the ball getting to the wing, where Nesha Wood speeded through the Pont defence to touch the ball down, and Dom converting successfully again.

The game continued to be very physical, with Jo C on the wing committing hard to the rucks, and panthers came away with another penalty. Panthers kept up the pressure, with great form in the scrum, particularly from Emma at 8, and some tuneful scrummaging ideas borrowed from Joe Mahler from Gabby. During a period of Ponteland pressure, tempers began to fray, but some impressive hits from players like Talia Sisterson resulted in Panthers coming away with possession again. Another driving maul from a line out led to another held up try for Park, but there wasn’t long to wait as Emily went over for the Panther’s fifth, closing the game with a decisive 0- 28 win for the Percy Park.  4^th in the table, but with a couple of games in hand, the Pathers meet top of the table Penrith at home next, on 6^th April. See you there.

Percy Park Panthers 19 v 40 Rockcliff Roses
8th March 2025
IWD 2025

This Saturday, the Percy Park Panthers hosted the Rockcliff Roses at Preston Avenue for a highly anticipated local derby, a day that certainly left a lasting impression. The stands and balcony were filled with passionate supporters, highlighting the incredible enthusiasm for women’s rugby, especially on a day dedicated to celebrating the remarkable contributions of women both on and off the field.

From the opening whistle, both teams demonstrated their competitive spirit. The Panthers quickly established dominance, keeping the Roses in their half, leading to the first lineout of the match, followed by a scrum. The Panthers maintained their attacking momentum, but a few handling errors allowed the Roses to gain possession. Rockcliffs No. 12, Macey Leach, capitalised on this opportunity, scoring the first try of the match.

Undeterred, the Panthers applied significant pressure, resulting in a scrum just in front of the try line where they managed to break through, but were unfortunately held up. Still within the Roses' 22, the Panthers fought valiantly, but a turnover in the ruck enabled the Roses to break free and secure another try.

The Panthers responded with their first try, courtesy of No. 10 Caitlin Ward. However, the Roses quickly added two more tries, ending the first half with a score of 5-26 in their favour.

The second half saw the Panthers return with renewed determination. Captain Steph Gicquel powered through the defence to score an impressive try, which was perfectly converted by Dom Hepples. This was soon followed by a spectacular run from Park winger SJ Laybourne, who covered the full length of the pitch to score under the posts, again converted by Hepples.

The Roses, however, secured two additional tries, bringing the match to a close with a final score of 19-40 in their favour.

We want to thank Rockcliff Roses for staying for aftermantch celebrations for IWD 2025. A fantastic atmosphere in the clubhouse, With raffles, food and a presentation from our Vice Jenny Wood for what Women’s rugby means to us all. It may have been a local derby but both teams have genuine friendships with each other and that’s what women supporting women should be.

Huge thank you for all of our raffle donations and prizes.

Special mentions go to our players of the match: 

- **Forward**: Marie Watson 

- **Back**: Caitlin Monteath-Stokoe 

- **Opposition**: Lauren Calvert

Percy Park Panthers 17  v  12 Ponteland Tigers

15/12/24

It was a fiercely contested and challenging match on Sunday, but the Panthers ultimately emerged victorious against the Ponteland Tigers.

The game commenced with the Panthers receiving the kick-off from Ponteland. Following a series of forward phases, quick passing found its way to the backs, where Sacha Boyd broke through the defence and offloaded to Vicky. She sprinted 40 meters to score the first try of the match. Ponteland quickly responded with a try of their own, utilising multiple forward pick-and-goes to breach the Panthers' defence, successfully converting it and taking a 7-5 lead.

In a crucial moment, Ponteland conceded a penalty just five meters from their own try line. A swift tap and pass enabled Steph to power over the line, with Caitlin Ward successfully converting the try. This brought the score to 12-7 in favour of the Panthers, allowing them to head into the second half with a lead.

The second half saw Ponteland adopting a forward-heavy strategy once again. Unfortunately, they managed to push through the Panthers' try line for a second time. As discipline began to wane for both teams, the Panthers rallied, and captain Steph bulldozed her way over the Ponteland try line once more in the final play of the game, clinching the victory for the Panthers. The match concluded with a final score of 17-12 in favour of the Panthers.

Looking ahead, the Panthers are set to travel to Alnwick shortly after the New Year, aiming to continue their winning streak.

Players of the Match went to -

Forward – Clari Beaumont & Jenny Wood

Back – Vicky Moxom

Opposition – Emily Mather