Saturday 12 October 2024
Sandal 57 Percy Park 41
Regional 1 North East
(HT: 29-12)
As a clearly disappointed player/coach Ash Smith came off of the pitch after the full-time team talk, it took him several minutes to give his assessment of the game: “A really frustrating Saturday for us, we score forty-one points away from home and still lose. Sandal are a good side, no doubt about that, they ran hard but on reflection, we really let one go. We have talked repeatedly in recent times about our mentality in defence and the need to tackle and win the collisions. If we don’t, we ship fifty-seven points, if we do we put ourselves in a position to win games because we have talented strike runners in our side that can inflict real damage. Today was so, so disappointing”.
The hard truth was that the game was almost over after the opening 15 minutes, Sandal having scored three tries and opened up a twenty-two point lead. Park barely played, missing numerous tackles and allowing Sandal to almost score at will. Thereafter, it’s a case of what might have been. Park ‘won’ the remainder of the half 7-12 and the second half 28-29, scoring seven tries but the early Sandal points onslaught was simply too great for the visitors to overturn.
After resting several players for the Northumberland Cup game last weekend, Park had injury and unavailability issues with Ash Smith, Will Ponton, Jordan Carey, Dan Shuttleworth and Matthew French sidelined and Matt Atkinson unavailable. Sadly, wing Sol Kench was injured in the warmup, so replacement Paul Spowart moved into the centre with Seb Reece moving to the wing. On a bright, breezy day but with dark clouds not too far away, Sandal kicked off with the breeze at their backs. With the game barely 2 minutes old, a poor Park pass in midfield on halfway was gathered by Sandal flanker and captain Will Henshall who broke along the right touchline to give the scoring pass to wing Jake Adams who scored wide out. Fullback Tom Hodson missed the conversion (5-0).
Sandal attacked from the restart and from a poor Park defensive kick, a series of Sandal drives had No 8 Dec Thompson crash over just to the right of the posts on 9 minutes, Hodson converting (12-0). Almost from the restart, Park were penalized in possession on half way for not releasing in the tackle and Hodson kicked an excellent penalty from half way to extend the home sides lead on 12 minutes (15-0). Park just could not get into the game, with Hodson missing another penalty attempt when Park were again penalised for not releasing almost straight from the restart. But worse was to come when, on 15 minutes, No 8 Thompson, from halfway, evaded three or four would be tackles to score an excellent try just to the right of the posts converted by Hodson (22-0).
At last, from the restart, Park started to gain some possession and get into the game. With Sandal infringing twice in quick succession, Park were able to kick deep into the home 22 in the left corner. The catch and drive was illegally halted, the second wasn’t with ex-Sandal player Nathan Newbound touching down on 22 minutes. Paul Spowart missed the conversion (22-5). Four minutes later, Park scored again. An excellent 50/22 kick from fullback Andrew Walker gave Park a lineout just inside the home 22. Park drove forward and the ball was spun infield and Oli Bartles-Smith, running a superb line, powered over for Spowart to convert on 26 minutes (22-12).
The two quick tries from the visitors spurred the home side into action with No 8 Thompson almost over again after unforced errors and indiscipline had given Sandal possession and territory. The game then settled down with both sides having opportunities but both defences held firm. As the clock entered the red zone, Sandal intercepted a wayward pass on halfway but outside half Mihali Joannou appeared to pull up, when well clear of defenders, with a hamstring problem and Park were able to snuff out the danger but almost on the half time whistle, Park lost concentration to allow centre Eden Kelly to ghost through the defence wide out and score the hosts bonus point try by the posts. Hodson converted to put Sandal back in control as the whistle went for half time (29-12).
HT: Sandal 29 Percy Park 12
Within two minutes of the second period getting underway, Park scored their third try. After securing possession from a line out on their own 22, they drove into home territory and a long pass out right (from Josh Hedley? My view was obscured) found Bartles-Smith who sprinted in for an excellent score. The conversion from wide out on the right was missed (29-17).
The Sandal response was instant; driving into the Park 22, with centre Eden Kelly prominent, they were held a metre short but the visitors were unable to stop replacement Cam Allen from crashing over with Hodson converting (36-17). Worse was to follow when, after desperate defence, prop Tristan Grant was shown a yellow card after a high tackle on 49 minutes. With driving rain and a strong breeze making life very difficult for both sides, the home side were putting intense pressure on Park, intent on taking advantage of their opponents being a man down and this they achieved on 58 minutes when after a great break by standoff Joannou wing Jack Handley went over for Hodson to convert (43-17).
An act of stupidity had a penalty decision reversed and the referee marching Park backwards for Sandal to put the kick into the left hand corner. An excellent catch and drive had second row Austen Thompson touch down. Hodson kicked an excellent conversion and with 65 minutes played, Sandal were effectively out of sight (50-17).
The last 10 minutes of the game produced five tries, four to one in favour of the visitors. If only this had been the first 10 minutes instead of the last! The first, after 70 minutes, had replacement Luke Foster scoring the bonus-point try after a series of pick and go’s close to the Sandal line, the conversion missed (50-22). The second had prop Sam Digman run in after a fantastic break from second row Chris Reekie, the try being converted by Paul Spowart (50-29). The restart saw Jonny Dubois gather and two side steps later Park were back on the attack only to be penalized. Again, a lack of concentration allowed Cam Allen to put in an excellent cross kick for Luke Adams to stroll in unopposed on 78 minutes with Hodson again adding the extras (57-29).
Park scored twice in the final two minutes with Nathan Newbound scoring his second after a good midfield break, the conversion missed, and as the final whistle approached Reekie scored in a final Park flourish, the try converted (57-41).
FT: Sandal 57 Percy Park 41
If the opening 15 minutes were not bad enough, there were other crucial parts of the game where Park did not help themselves. The Sandal try right on half time gave them a comfortable cushion but if Park could just not have conceded then the early second half try from Oli Bartles-Smith would have made it a 5 point game giving Park something to aim for. In addition, two lapses of concentration allowed Sandal to score 14 points and the yellow card did not help. That said, the lads never gave up and to score seven tries away from home at this level is no mean feat, particularly against a side who pride themselves on their defence, and so there were positives. Sandal were ruthless in that opening quarter and always had the wherewithal to stay far enough ahead in order that the Park revival never seriously threatened the result. A number of the Percy Park Panthers ladies were at the game supporting the men and I asked Panther’s skipper Steph Gicquel on her view of the game: “I don’t think anyone would argue that in the opening 20 minutes, we were asleep, not in the game at all. But I thought it was an awesome performance in the second half with some great tries scored. It was a game we could, perhaps should, have won but this league is tough, and you are going to have days like this. The lads will get over the result and kick on”.
For Sandal, No 8 Dec Thompson was outstanding up front as were centres Edan Kelly and Luke Adams behind the scrum. Fullback Tom Hodson kicked some excellent goals. For Park, once they got into the game, Josh Hedley and Chris Reekie played well as did Oli Bartles-Smith in the backline. It was great to see both Howard Stock and Leo Caulfield back in competitive action. It was a tough day at the office. Sandal were magnanimous in victory and we thank them for their marvellous hospitality as we do to the referee for the match from the Yorkshire Society. We look forward to the return in January.
The Lions entertained Novocastrians in a friendly at Preston Avenue winning 10-7 in a tight game and on Sunday, the Panthers inflicted a comprehensive defeat on Consett away at Amethyst Park winning 10-64 in a highly impressive performance. Next Saturday, 19 October, the 1st XV are at home to league leaders Scunthorpe in what I believe is the first ever competitive game between the two sides, KO at Preston Avenue is 3pm. The Lions are at Sunderland on Saturday, KO 3 pm in what is likely to be a tough fixture and on Sunday the Panthers entertain Gateshead at Preston Avenue, KO TBC.
Percy Park: 15 Andrew Walker; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Oli Bartles-Smith; 12 Paul Spowart; 11 Seb Reece; 10 Fergus Simpson; 9 Tom Robinson; 1 Tristan Grant; 2 Jonny Dubois; 3 Sam Digman; 4 Chris Reekie; 5 Josh Hedley; 6 Nathan Newbound; 7 Karl Thompson; 8 Leo Caulfield.
Replacements: Luke Foster; Aaron Smith;