NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR CUP
PERCY PARK 41 – 3 ALNWICK
Percy Park will defend the Northumberland Senior Cup against Tynedale Raiders following this mid-week win against a youthful Alnwick side. Since the introduction of league rugby, County Cups all over the country have become somewhat devalued, with greater emphasis being given to league status and position, and indeed this season in Northumberland, 4 clubs have withdrawn from the cup and plate competitions, the latest being Northern who forfeited their semi-final game against Tynedale.
Both clubs used their 1st and 2nd XV squads to reduce the impact of playing two games in 7 days, with Alnwick and Park both in runners up positions in their respective leagues, vying for play offs for promotion and home advantage. In the pack Park started with the Lions front row of Birkett, Dubois and Smith, and Richy Dawson at lock. In the back line Jimmy Baldwin started at scrum half with club captain John Scott moving to fly half. 1st XV prop Joe Wafer showed his versatility and pace by starting on the left wing and Alun Barlow came in at 15 for the unavailable Phil Morse.
Jonny Ward opened Park’s account with a try on the right wing after 5 minutes had been played. Jack Davidson had won the ball at the tail of a line out. The ball was shipped to the back line with Kai Downey Stevenson cutting back to the blind side, finding Greg Dixon in support who off loaded to Ward to race across the line for the score which was unconverted.
Park had all the early play and on 15 minutes Jimmy Baldwin scored his first try after the home side had opted for a scrum from a penalty after the ball had been deliberately slapped down from an Alnwick player. From the set piece Sean Williamson picked up and fed Baldwin on the blind side. The scrum half stepped inside the cover defence to score and Ash Smith took the score to 12 – 0 with the conversion.
Alnwick got on the score board with a penalty half way through the first half, although Park seemed in full control as Jimmy Baldwin scored his second try after good work in a driving maul by blind side Greg Dixon. Dixon controlled the ball at the back before spotting a gap in the defence of the Alnwick right, peeling off to set Baldwin in space for the try which Ash Smith again converted to take the score on to 19 – 3 which was how the half ended.
As the floodlights took effect, Park started the second half brightly as Jack Davidson scored after a minute. Ash Smith made a trade mark break through mid field finding flanker Davidson on his shoulder. The young open side used his pace to round the Alnwick full back for a well worked try.
In the second half Park brought on several of the 1st XV who had missed a regular training session with the game being held on a training night. Ali Blair who had been rested for the first half came into the centre and Ash Smith set him loose down the right wing to score in the corner.
Ash Smith then got on the scoreboard himself with a mazy break around a throng of players before find a gap down the right wing which he exploited and raced to the line to score in the corner. The conversion was short but Park now led 34 – 3 with 5 minutes remaining.
Park ended the game as they started with a Jonny Ward try and the conversion by Smith took the final score to 41 – 3.
The final is scheduled to take place at Ashington next Wednesday 18th April 2012, KO 6.30 pm.
On Saturday Park return to the league and take on Durham City at Preston Avenue in one of the most important games of the season. A recent upsurge in form has seen Park move to second place and a bonus point win on the week end will guarantee Park a play off game against the runners up in North 1 West.