Saturday 10 October 2026
Novocastrians 29 Percy Park 38
Regional 2 North
(HT: 22-5)
Park, sitting top of Regional 2 North in the early season table, travelled to Novocastrians, sitting in second, for a top of the table clash last weekend. And in a game dominated by an extremely strong wind it was Park who triumphed through dogged defence against the wind in the first half followed by clever use of it in the second, five second half tries without response ensuring the victory. Incredibly, after their league and cup double last season, this was Novo’s first defeat at Sutherland Park in eighteen months.
There were several changes to the Park side from the victory over Penrith last week. In the back line, Jacob German and debutant Alistair Lovel replaced Freddie Hara and Dan Jackson on the wings and in the forwards, Jake Smith came in for Jonny Dubois on the flank and Seth Henderson replaced Austin Phillips in the second row. On the replacements bench, Kieran Hope was joined by new faces Aaron Haddrick and Harry Hunter.
On a bright but very windy day, Novo’s got the game underway with the wind at their backs and were very soon pressurising Park deep in the visiting 22. From a Park infringement Novo’s kicked to the left corner but excellent work at the lineout had the visitors turn the ball over. Ten minutes played and Park had not yet managed to get out of their 22 facing the wind but suddenly momentum changed, Park storming up the pitch to stun the home side with the first try of the match. A quick tap penalty from Sam Digman, after Park won a scrum penalty, had Novo’s scrambling and when a fantastic line from flanker Jake Smith split the home defence wide open, Will Ponton kicked through for wing Alistair Lovel to pick up and score in the left corner for a fantastic opening try after twelve minutes. Standoff Will Ponton missed the difficult conversion against the wind (0-5).
From the restart, Park resisted wave after wave of Novo’s attacks through excellent defence but an attempted long pass went astray in the wind and a kick through by fullback Sam Busby which he followed up to win the race to the touchdown on eighteen minutes. Standoff Sam Evans kicked the conversion (7-5).
After giving away two quick penalties, Novo’s were able to kick to the right corner but Park, again through great defence, were able to repulse the catch and drive. As Park tried to play out of the 22 a huge Novo’s tackle turned the ball over. Winning a free kick from a scrum infringement, Novo’s carried with purpose with, eventually, flanker Louis Matthews crashing over to the left of the posts, Evans converting on twenty-four minutes (14-5).
Park attempted to play wide from the restart, only to almost immediately give possession back to the home side. Park were quickly o the back foot but their defence held until the half hour when Novo’s scored again. When Park were penalised by referee Yannick Debil for a high tackle, a quick tap penalty had them for once at sixes and sevens defensively. A two to one overlap saw centre Ben Jubb score a great try in the corner on thirty-one minutes, Evans missing the conversion (19-5). The last ten minutes of the half had Park well and truly under the cosh but desperate defence kept out the home side until a minute before the break when Park were penalised for another high tackle and Evans kicked the goal (22-5). The last play of the half had Park, for the first time since the opening try, in the home 22 but a scrum penalty halted momentum and the half ended with Novo’s clearing their lines.
HT: Novocastrians 22 Percy Park 5
In truth, most of the Park faithful believed that we had done really well in limiting Novo’s to just a seventeen point lead at the break and with the wind advantage to come, we could claw it back and go on to win the game. That view was shown to be more than justified when Park scored three times in the first ten minutes of the second half to take the lead in the match, a lead they were never to relinquish.
With just two minutes of the half played, Novo’s tried to play out of their 22 but the ball was turned over, moved right at speed and wing Jacob German did superbly along the right touchline to score in the corner, the difficult conversion missed (22-10).
Just four minutes later, Park were on the scoreboard again. Novo’s attempted to play wide but German anticipated a pass, intercepted, and sprinted 70 metres to score underneath the posts for Will Ponton to convert (22-17). In another four minutes, Park took the lead after they were awarded a penalty try from referee Debil. Novo’s were penalised for a high tackle and Park kick for the right corner. The catch and drive was perfect until the maul was pulled down deliberately on the line for the penalty try to be awarded (22-24). Replacement Ryan Gibson was shown a yellow card.
The game was all Park now, the visitor’s momentum only stopped by their own mistakes. However, the damn broke again on fifty-eight minutes. Park were caught on the right touchline but somehow kept the ball alive. The ball was moved left and a fantastic offload from fullback George Bogg allowed wing Alistair Lovel to score under the posts for another great try. Will Ponton converted (22-31). Park, through Ponton and Bogg, kept Novo’s trapped in their own 22 and as their frustration grew, they gave away penalties, one of which was kicked to the left touchline, midway in the home 22. The resultant catch, drive and maul had Park marching up to the home line for No 8 and skipper Matthew French score on sixty-four minutes, Ponton converting (22-38).
The visitors seemed to relax slightly after the restart, one scrum, which had been rock solid all game, going backwards at a rate of knots. Novo’s seemed to get a second wind searching for the bonus point try and were rewarded when flanker Ryan Matthews scored after a quickly taken tap penalty on seventy-six minutes, Evans converting (29-38).
The game began to get somewhat feisty, with a couple of melees breaking out and after one, both Park replacement Kieran Hope and Novo’s No 8 Sam Baldwin were yellow carded. There was one final bit of argy bargy resulting in a Novo’s penalty which was missed therefore denying them a losing bonus point.
FT: Novocastrians 29 Percy Park 38
A game dominated by the wind and won, I think, by a great defensive effort in the first half limiting Novocastrians to just three tries despite them having 80% of possession and territory. Newly promoted Novo’s have made a great start to the season and have the look of a side that will challenge for a top four place this season. We thank them for a great game, played in difficult conditions, played (until the last few minutes) in a great spirit and, as always, superbly refereed by Yannick Debil. We look forward to welcoming both back to Preston Avenue later in the season.
Post-match, there was definitely a sense of a job well done with head coach Andy Dunn well satisfied: “The wind was a huge factor though we coped with it in the first half and I always thought we could turn it around second half. It wasn’t perfect, there are things we need to work on, things we need to improve, but the spirit is excellent and three wins from three shows what we are about but let’s not get carried away, there are plenty of good sides in this league and if we want to stay at the top of the league we will have to continue to work hard”.
For Park, the forwards were again excellent providing the foundation for Will Ponton to control the game in the second half. Jacob German and George Bogg also played well. Three wins from three, top of the league and playing well… what more could we ask for?
Elsewhere, the Lions suffered a heavy home defeat to Blyth in Counties 3 North East (North) 22-54 though we played better than the score suggests.
Next weekend, the 1st XV travel to Ryton on league business, KO 3pm, while the Lions travel to Gateshead, KO 3pm, also in the league. The Panthers and the Colts have rest weekends.
Percy Park: 15 George Bogg; 14 Jacob German; 13 Howard Stock; 12 Matthew Dunn; 11 Alistair Lovel; 10 Will Ponton; 9 James Towell; 8 Matthew French ©; 7 Leo Caulfield; 6 Jake Smith; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Seth Henderson; 3 Sam Digman; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Joe Green
Replacements: Kieran Hope; Aaron Haddrick; Harry Hunter