NORTH ONE EAST
PERCY PARK 27 – 15 DINNINGTON
A passionate Percy Park performance at Preston Ave put paid to Dinnington’s 100% record. The league’s new boys had started the season with a bang with 6 straight wins in their first year at this level and they started this game well enough keeping the home side pinned down in their own half for much of the first 15 minutes.
A lapse of concentration from the kick off meant that Park were under pressure from the off, and when they were penalised for being offside inside the first minute, Dinno’s fly-half Chris Williams kicked his side into a 3 – 0 lead.
The Yorkshire 1 champions have built their game on a strong forward pack and several driving maul were repelled near the Park line by stout defence, but inevitably they did cross the whitewash on the ten minute mark, and a superb Williams conversion from the touch line took them 10 points in front.
This seemed to be the catalyst that spurred Park into action as they played against a strong wind in the first half. With 20 minutes gone, Percy Park set up camp in the visitors 22 and the defence were penalised for a high tackle in front of the posts. The referee allowed Park to play a good advantage that saw Ash Smith dummy and cut through to score. The conversion hit the upright.
Ash Smith has been a welcome return to the side after his sojourn last season in Italy, and he is currently working as Rugby Development Officer in local schools. On the day the crowd was swelled by a number of pupils and their parents from Preston Grange Primary, Christ Church, King Edwards, Spring Gardens and Cullercoats, and judging by their vocal support they were very much enjoying the day.
The exchange referee from Leicestershire had warned Park a number of times as the penalty count rose with Dinnington continuing their assault on the home side defensive line. When his patience eventually ran out, Park number 8 Sean Williamson was sent to the bin for 10 minutes for driving into a maul from the side. Up stepped Williams for the penalty kick on 33 minutes but his attempt hit the post. The ricochet bounced awkwardly for Park and the visitors retrieved possession and set up another forward attack. Park defended resolutely and stole the ball on the line and managed to clear their lines.
A very physical mid-week training session, seemed to be the key to a much livelier Park performance especially in counter rucking, that on a number of occasions robbed the visitors of possession. As the half was drawing to a close, a great forward effort dispossessed the Yorkshire side and allowed Park to set up a counter attack down the left flank This showed the commitment of the Park pack playing with a man down for the last 7 minutes of the half. Scrum half John Scott burst down the wing and found Ash Smith who stepped inside drawing the last defender. Backing up like every good openside does, young Park flanker Ethan Wilson took the pass to go over for the try. The conversion attempt was wide, but Park had levelled the scores at 10 – 10.
Park had wind advantage in the second half and more possession than in the first. As Dinno tried running the ball out of defence they were penalised for holding on, as back row turned prop Harry Watson stood his ground over the ruck. Ash Smith kicked the points to take the lead 13 – 10.
Ten minutes into the second period Park went further ahead as Ash Smith scored his second try of the game. Earlier the Park fly half had a pass intercepted as Dinnington mounted a counter attack from their own half, but strength of character and determination saw him win the ball back and chip ahead to pick up and dive over the line under the posts to ease the conversion attempt as the lead stretched to 20 – 10.
Park were now in the ascendency although Dinnington were doggedly trying to claw back a score; the intensity of the defence snuffed out any opportunity they may have had. The lead was further enhanced on 63 minutes as Ali Blair cut through the visitor’s midfield from a planned move from a scrum, and again Ash Smith was on target with the extras.
Dinnington continued to batter away at Park and there were some bullocking run from number 8 Will Marshall, but Park tackled their opponents time an time again. With the score at 27 -10, Park were punished with a second yellow card of the match when Josh Hedley was penalised for being offside in the “red” zone. Eventually the visitors crossed the Park line from a catch and drive from a line out to put them within a score of a bonus point.
With 10 minutes of the game remaining Dinnington were determined to get at least a losing bonus point but Park showed equal determination to keep them out, and despite again being down to 14 players, Park finished off the game strongly and took the bonus point win, leaving their visitors to head back down the A1 without adding to their overnight points tally.
This is a very competitive league, and if Park continue to play with such belief they can beat anyone on the day. The vagaries of the league were borne out by the fact that a loss last week saw Park move up from 4th place to 3rd ahead of Pocklington, but despite a bonus point win this week Park slipped a place with Pock winning handsomely against next week’s hosts Old Crossleyans.