STOCKTON 17 – 23 PERCY PARK
Coach James Ponton declared this as the most important win of the season, and it was one of the hardest, with no fewer than eleven of the regular first team unavailable either through injury or on the captain’s stag weekend in Magaluf. When the fixtures were set at the start of the season, no one expected that league rugby would be played on Easter Saturday, and to have half of the first fifteen away, was testimony to the improvement of the Development squad, with several players making their first team debuts.
Last Saturday Park had beaten Stockton comfortably by 47 – 6, but this game at Norton was a different story, and the visitors only sealed the win with two Marcus Rutter penalties on 78 and 82 minutes.
Stockton opened the scoring after 25 minutes with Richy Brown try after a strong run by Paul Murphy. Dan Fin kicked the conversion for a 7 – 0 lead. Park responded almost immediately with a Liam Blackburn try, wide out after Mark Walton had broken through the reds defence to link up with fellow centre Simon Greetham who drew his man and gave the ball to Blackburn who stepped inside the last defender to score under the posts. Marcus Rutter equalised the score with the conversion.
On the stroke of half time Park were awarded a penalty which Marcus Rutter kicked for Park to lead going into the break.
The conditions were good with little wind to speak of, and not long into the second half Stockton full back Dan Finn levelled the score with a well taken penalty, after referee David Sawyer had sin binned the Park player coach for handling on the ground when it seemed the penalty would go the other way for two Stockton players going off their feet at the ruck as Park attacked.
With the visitors a man down the home side sensed an upset, and an edgy ten minutes ensued, but Park’s defence held firm. Liam Blackburn then scored his second try of the game, which was converted by Rutter for Percy Park to regain the lead.
Thomas Turnbull was struggling with injury and was replaced by Johnny Gould on the right wing, and this in part led to Stockton’s second try of the game when left wing Simon Crozier rounded the Park winger to score. Dan Finn kicked an excellent conversion from almost the touch line, and the scores were again level.
Park needed the win to ensure second spot in Durham & Northumberland 1, and also gain a valuable home tie in the play off against the runners up in Yorkshire 1. The result could have gone either way until Stockton were penalised on their ten metre line and Rutter who hadn’t missed a kick all afternoon kicked the points. The second penalty minutes later gave Park a six point lead, and Stockton now needed a converted try to win. The visitors held out in the seven minutes of added time to win 17 – 23.
Park’s tortuous schedule continues with games away to Wallsend on Wednesday kick off 6.30pm, and then away to Ashington for the last league game of the season. Looking at the results in Yorkshire 1, it seems likely that Bridlington will be travelling to Percy Park for the second time this season for the play off on 25th April.
Back at Preston Avenue, Percy Park Pumas won 41 – 23 against local rivals Whitley Bay Rockliff Vikings. This win keeps the Pumas in contention with Blyth Seconds at the top of Northumberland league 3a.