Northern 10 – 26 Percy Park
Percy Park maintained pole position in North 1 East with a bonus point win over league new boys Northern at McCracken Park. Park’s start to the season couldn’t have been better with two previous bonus point wins against Hartlepool Rovers and Morpeth, Northern on the other hand were looking for their first win, having lost narrowly last week away to Old Crossleyans.
Northern kicked off, and they had the best of early territorial advantage, but couldn’t break the Park defensive line. Both sides were trying to play adventurous and expansive rugby, but several handling errors often ended promising moves. It wasn’t until 20 minutes had elapsed that Alex Clark for the home side had the first chance to put points on the board with a penalty in front of the posts, which surprisingly he pulled right.
Northern continued to look more dangerous and open side Harrison Clark looked a handful, breaking several tackles on a couple of occasions, but the home side could capitalize. It was Park who scored after 26 minutes when left wing Ali Blair finished off a sweeping move hitting the corner flag in the act of scoring, but the Northern touch judge kept his flag down and the score was awarded, much to the disappointment of the home supporters and players. Ash Smith came close with the conversion attempt, but couldn’t add the extra points.
The Fidler brothers were much in evidence, Craig at lock and Adam at open side, featured in several of Park’s attacking plays, and when Craig was stopped inside the Northern 22 after a surging run, brother Adam was on hand to retrieve the ball and side stepped his way through the defence to score under the posts, and with the Ash Smith conversion Park stretched their lead to 12 points.
Despite Park now having much of the possession, they were continually penalised for varying infringements and with the half petering out were penalised in their own half, which Northern opted to kick to the corner rather than take the points on offer, showing a lack of confidence in the goal kicking department. Craig Fidler stole the line out ball and scrum half John Scott cleared the lines.
Northern again took play into the Park half and again Park were penalised. Spurning the kick at goal, Northern opted for the line out, which this time they won and after several phases the ball was spread wide, and with Park running out of defenders, prop Chris Stewart, went over in the corner, well into injury time. As the kick at goal was missed the whistle went for half time.
Park kicked to Northern as the second half got underway, but pressure from centre David Griffiths made Northern spill the ball and the loose ball was pounced on by winger Howard Stock who raced down the right wing to score after less than a minute. Ash Smith kicked the difficult conversion to give Park a lead of 19 – 5.
to take the final score to 10 – 26, as once again the kick for goal was missed.
Park and West Hartlepool share the lead on 15 points, but Park top the table with a better points difference. Next week Old Brodleians, who are also undefeated this season, travel to Preston Avenue.
Back at home, Park’s Marauders beat Northern III 29 -14 with five tries and two conversions. Meanwhile the Academy opened their season with an emphatic 76 – 0 win away to Morpeth Colts.