Saturday 6 September 2025
West Hartlepool 35 Percy Park 31
Regional 2 North
(HT: 9-17)
There was, after our opening league game of the new season, definitely a feeling of déjà vu! Three seasons ago, Park travelled to West and with ten minutes to go held a comfortable thirteen point lead only for two yellow cards and two late converted West tries to enable the home side to win by a point. The turnaround on Saturday was even worse, a commanding lead 9-31 on the hour proving insufficient, the visitors handed two yellow cards and West overcoming the deficit to triumph 35-31. The simple truth was that Park imploded in those last twenty minutes to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
On a dry, breezy day with some sunshine, Park kicked off the new season and with standoff Ash Smith and No 8 Matthew French prominent in the early exchanges, Park enjoyed the early advantage in both territory and possession. Despite this there were signs that the visiting lineout was not functioning as two were lost in attacking positions inside the West 22 in the first few minutes. Park put the first points on the board after 12 minutes when a high tackle in the home 22 gave Paul Spowart the opportunity to kick a penalty (0-3).
From the restart West came into the game and were quickly level, Park straying offside on their 22 metre line in front of the posts to allow home standoff Jobe Roxby to kick the penalty after 15 minutes (3-3). Park conceded a scrum from the restart and the visiting pack were splintered by a fired-up home eight but in doing so infringed and quick thinking by the returning Andrew Walker at scrum-half had him take a quick tap and scythe through the home defence and a pass left to the supporting Seb Reece had the Park centre scoring underneath the posts for the try on 17 minutes, converted by Spowart (3-10).
West were able to reduce the deficit 3 minutes later when a high tackle in front of the posts allowed Roxby to kick his second penalty (6-10). From the restart West began to dominate, the Park set piece struggling with two lineouts lost in quick succession. Park, under pressure, were again caught offside just inside their 22 in front of the posts and Roxby kicked the penalty on 26 minutes (9-10). West were straight on the attack from the restart but a Park turnover had Spowart and wing Oli Bartles-Smith send Reece into space with the centre brought down two metres from the West line and this seemed to lift the visiting forwards and as the clock ticked down to half-time, Park won a scrum just inside the West 22 several metres infield. The ball was moved right and three or four phases had prop Michael Birkett in under the posts for Spowart to convert on the half-time whistle.
HT: West Hartlepool 9 Percy Park 17
The home side kicked off the second half but fell further behind after only 3 minutes. A home penalty after a Park high tackle gave West an attacking lineout in the visiting 22 on their right but Park were awarded a scrum after a lineout knock-on and from the scrum, Park moved the ball right for debutant replacement Monty Snarey to break the home defensive line, kick ahead and allow another debutant, fullback George Chapman, to score to the right of the posts for a stunning try. Chapman converted his score (9-24).
With the Park scrum gaining parity with the home eight, two very quick successive penalties had a Park lineout in the left corner. The ball was won, quickly moved right for Chapman to score his second (and the bonus point) try on 49 minutes, the fullback again kicking the conversion (9-31).
This, sadly, was the Park highpoint as the remainder of the game saw Park implode completely, not helped by indiscipline (mainly repeated high tackles) which resulted in two yellow cards, and West take complete control of the match. Park were under the cosh for the next 10 minutes or so as West sought a way back into the game. Two penalties, one for yet another high tackle and one for offside, had West deep inside the visiting 22 and from a scrum several metres from the Park line saw the home side move the ball right as the visiting forwards were being marched back inly for Bartles-Smith to be given a yellow card by referee Andy Fisher for a deliberate knock-on. West elected a scrum, No 8 and captain Chris Atkins scoring their first try as the Park scrum splintered going backwards. Roxby converted on 60 minutes (16-31).
Worse was to follow just 4 minutes later when West were awarded a penalty try. Multiple phases had West deep in the visiting 22 and as they drove for the line Park flanker Karl Thompson high tackled a home player on the try line and was immediately shown a yellow card by referee Fisher (23-31). Park were now down to thirteen men and West sensed an unlikely victory was now possible. The visitors were unable to control the ball and when it was turned over they were penalised for a deliberate knock-on. West were able to kick to the right corner and execute a perfect catch and drive, hooker Aiden Jackson-Smith scoring the try on 68 minutes. Roxby missed the conversion, the ball striking the upright (28-31).
On 74 minutes, the remarkable turnaround was completed with West scoring under the posts. Park were unable to break the home stranglehold after the restart and a loose clearance kick was seized upon by the home side, three missed tackles and replacement Adam Hutchinson was in under the posts to give scrumhalf Matt Siddle an easy conversion (35-31).
Park were able to rouse themselves and gain possession in the West 22 but the ball was turned over and a penalty conceded for yet another high tackle with the full-time whistle coming shortly thereafter.
FT: West Hartlepool 35 Percy Park 31
Player/Coach Ash Smith was understandably dejected post match: “It was a disaster. We just wouldn’t listen, time and time again we were penalised for high tackles but we kept on shooting ourselves in the foot. We struggled at times up front but the penalty count killed us. How can you win games with only thirteen players? This will be a hard lesson but at least it’s the first game. Credit to West Hartlepool, to come back from that scoreline early in the second half was fantastic”.
The pack did struggle, the lineout just didn’t function for the majority of the game and the penalty count, particularly for high tackles as Ash Smith alluded to, killed off any momentum in the second half. On the plus side, the Park backs looked sharp and debutants George Chapman and Monty Snarey both played well. For West, standoff Jobe Roxby was excellent and their pack played really well, particularly in the second half. We congratulate them on the win and thank them for a hard game and their hospitality and wish them well this season. Our thanks also to referee Andy Fisher from the Durham Society.
Next Saturday Park entertain Durham City in our first home league game of the season, KO at Preston Avenue is at 3pm.
Percy Park: 15 George Chapman; 14 Jacob German; 13 Seb Reece ©; 12 Paul Spowart; 11 Oli Bartles-Smith; 10 Ash Smith; 9 Andrew Walker; 8 Matthew French; 7 Leo Caulfield; 6 Karl Thompson; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Sean Nairn; 3 Michael Birkett; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Tristan Grant
Replacements: Joe Ford; Niall Coombe; Monty Snarey