Billingham travelled to
In the backs the side remained the same apart from Ollie Gilmore moving to wing for the unavailable Marcus Turner. Billingham named the same side that won at home to Old Crossleyans, but at the last minute fly half Joseph Evans was replaced as he had flu, so play maker and coach Chris Hyndman moved to the ten spot. Park had much of the early play, with no wind advantage to either side, although light drizzle began to fall which made handling a little more difficult. From the start referee Simon Goatcher from the Durham Society showed that he was not going to allow either side to slow down possession or hang on to the ball on the ground, which made for a fast exciting game. The visitors conceded a penalty for playing the ball off the feet and the ball was kicked to the corner for an attacking line out.
Billingham were stung into action and replied three minutes later with a try under the sticks when prop Danny Dixon broke through a tackle close to the home try line to go over. Surprisingly Hyndman miscued the place kick so Park remained in the lead.
The visitors when in possession looked to run the ball at every opportunity, whereas Park mixed running the ball with some astute tactical kicking which gave them a little more in territorial advantage. From a line out in the second quarter the Park forwards drove the ball on, and the referee played a good advantage when the maul was pulled down, which allowed the home side a further attacking option. Thomas Turnbull gave the ball to
14 – 5.
For the first ten minutes of the second half with the floodlights on, it was all Park, and on 55 minutes two replacements were made with Craig Firth coming on to replace Olly Gilmore and Greg Dixon for Ian Elliot. Billingham knew they were in a game, but their slick handling and pacey backs meant the slightest defensive slip up could allow them back into the game.
On the hour the visitors struck with a try through James Screen, and this time Hyndman made good the conversion and the gap narrowed, but Park still had their noses in front 14 – 12.
Seven minutes later, Billingham struck again and after a couple of missed tackles, replacement wing Alick Garbutt went over in the right hand corner, but Chris Hyndman was off target with the difficult conversion attempt. At this point the home supporters were hoping there wouldn’t be a repeat of the previous week’s late capitulation, and far from it Park were keen to set matters straight and battered away at the Billingham defence. A series of scrummages close to the visitor’s line saw Brett Sylph go very close after picking up and driving for the line, and for a five minute period it was all
Billingham tried to release the pressure, but a kick to touch was charged down and suddenly there were three Park players, a ball and no defenders, ten metres out from the Billingham try line. David Griffiths was first to the ball, and not realising how much time he had attempted to pick the ball up rather than a kick and chase. Unfortunately the ball was knocked on and the visitors maintained their slender lead.
Park definitely had the edge in the tight, and with the scrum going backwards, Billingham had little opportunity to clear their lines. Eventually they conceded a penalty in front of the posts after a high tackle and the Billingham outside centre was sent to the sin bin, and Marcus Rutter kicked the points on offer to level the scores.
The referee indicated there was still eight minutes of play remaining and the draw seemed likely with Billingham now a man down and defending for all their worth. Park stayed camped in the
Rutter stepped up and kicked the points, to the delight of the home supporters. The game played on for another 5 minutes and eventually Park retrieved a loose ball which was kicked off the pitch and the game was over.