Saturday 18 January 2025
Scunthorpe 35 Percy Park 29
Regional 1 North East
(HT: 21-21)
Percy Park travelled to league leaders Scunthorpe on Saturday for their first ever visit to Heslam Park, looking to put in a much improved performance from the 7-62 reverse suffered at Preston Avenue in October and my word, they did not disappoint, taking the game to the wire and seeing a certain late score not given which would have won them the game. It was no more than they deserved, taking the game to Scunthorpe in what was a hard physical game played on a heavy pitch, but they did gain two vital bonus points to give themselves a six point cushion over Blaydon and Selby with games in hand. It was a hard battle with, sadly, both Leo Caulfield and Tom Robinson picking up injuries, the latter necessitating a lengthy second half stoppage and a trip to hospital though thankfully he is now home but facing a long period on the sidelines. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Injury and unavailability meant that up front Park were missing Aaron Smith, Matt Atkinson, Chris Reekie and Jonny Dubois and in the backline Jordan Carey, Andrew Walker and Ross Young.
On a dull, overcast and bitterly cold afternoon Park kicked off and early Scunthorpe pressure had the visitors on the defensive but after ten minutes, a brilliant move down the left hand side started by the returning Fergus Simpson put left wing Seb Reece away and when the move broke down, Scunthorpe were caught offside with the ball kicked into the left corner. Scunthorpe illegally stopped the catch and drive, and the ball was again put into the left corner but as the ball moved infield from the lineout the ball was spilled. Park were beginning to put real pressure on the home side and it was rewarded on seventeen minutes with a try by centre Paul Spowart. After Scunthorpe had managed to clear their lines, Park won a lineout on halfway after excellent work by No 8 Matthew French. As the ball went right Spowart made an excellent break to score by the posts which he converted (0-7).
The home response was immediate and direct from the restart. The ball was allowed to bounce and Scunthorpe No 8 Ben Hyde pounced to score, the try being converted by standoff Ethan Taylor on nineteen minutes (7-7). If the home sides response had been swift, so was the visitors with standoff Fergus Simpson scoring an interception try as Scunthorpe moved the ball left on their 10 metre line from the restart. Spowart converted, twenty-one minutes played (7-14). Park conceded a scrum as the game restarted allowing the home side to pile on the pressure but superb Park defence, including one last ditch tackle on Scunthorpe centre Laurence Pearce, kept the league leaders at bay. When Scunthorpe were eventually caught offside, Park were able to clear their lines but the kick missed touch and as Scunthorpe moved the ball left centre Ash Smith intercepted a pass to move the ball quickly left allowing wing Seb Reece to canter over to the left of the posts on twenty-six minutes. Paul Spowart kicked the conversion (7-21).
Scunthorpe top the table for a reason and the score spurred them into action and for the next few minutes Park had to defend which they did to a man but the dam was forced on thirty-five minutes when, after a Park knock on, Scunthorpe attacked in midfield with a series of strong drives and when the visitors ran out of cover, wing Josh Lugsden ran in at the corner, around under the posts to give Taylor an easy conversion (14-21). As the clock ticked down to half time, Scunthorpe applied the pressure, but the visitors were equal to it, one last ditch tackle by scrumhalf Tom Robinson on the Scunthorpe left wing epitomising the defensive effort. As the forty minutes were up, Scunthorpe moved the ball right; a brilliant tackle from fullback Jacob German looked to have stopped the attack in its tracks but the ball fell straight into the hands of flanker Marcus Payne who went over to the delight of the home support. Taylor kicked an excellent conversion to tie the scores as the referee signalled half time (21-21).
HT: Scunthorpe 21 Percy Park 21
Scunthorpe kicked off the second half, but it was the visitors who seized the early initiative, attacking from the off with second row Josh Hedley to the fore and when Scunthorpe were penalised on their own 10 metre line up stepped Spowart to kick the resultant penalty on forty-four minutes (21-24). Play was halted just after the restart when visiting No 8 Matthew French required treatment. Park were looking comfortable but when the ball was spilled in midfield, the resulting scrum gave the home side the opportunity to attack. They were able to put the ball into the right corner after Park were penalised for a high tackle. Although Park stole the lineout, Scunthorpe quickly regained possession with second row Nick Dyson spotting a gap to canter over on fifty-two minutes. Taylor converted to put the home side ahead for the first time in the match (28-24).
From the restart, a superb counter ruck saw Park quickly on the offensive but a serious looking injury to visiting scrumhalf Tom Robinson held up play for some time. When the game resumed, both sides showed their attacking intent in a full blooded contest but handling errors impeded the progress of the two teams. When Scunthorpe were penalised (coming in from the side), both sets of players were able to catch their breath as the ball was kicked into the left corner. A perfectly executed catch and drive had Phil Crichton (I think) touching down on sixty-seven minutes to put the visitors ahead with their bonus point try. The conversion was missed (28-29).
Scunthorpe came again but excellent defence kept the home side at bay but when Park were caught offside on their own 10 metre line, the kick was put into the left corner and Scunthorpe repaid the compliment with their own well executed catch and drive for replacement Will Harrison to score on seventy-four minutes. Taylor kicked an excellent conversion (35-29).
In the last few frantic minutes, Park pushed for the winning score, putting the league leaders under severe pressure. Superb play put them into the home 22, the half backs Simpson and German (who had moved to scrumhalf after Robinson’s injury) dictating play. Park gained a penalty after a ruck offence with second row Nick Dyson being shown a yellow card by referee Jack Johnson. Park elected the scrum, but the ball was knocked on at the base and Scunthorpe were able to clear their lines. A further stoppage occurred when referee Johnson was knocked over after the resultant lineout but after he had received treatment and play resumed, Park gained a penalty midway in the Scunthorpe half and the ball was kicked into the right corner. The catch and drive was stopped illegally resulting in a second home yellow card, this time replacement Will Harrison. Park laid siege to the Scunthorpe line and thought they had scored with a forward (it was impossible to see who) going over but the referee deemed that Park had been held up. As the eighty minute mark approached, the pressure eventually told when centre Paul Spowart forced his way over. The reaction of the players said everything, Park elated, Scunthorpe with heads in hands but the referee was unsighted and eventually, after some confusion, signalled the Park had again been held up. There was barely time for the restart before the match ended, joy and relief for Scunthorpe, utter dejection for the visitors.
FT: Scunthorpe 35 Percy Park 29
Post game, there was a feeling of what might have been, but I have to say, what a Park performance. Each player gave everything, the forwards magnificent, the backs back to their best and while it seems unfair to single out any individual player in such a fantastic team effort, Paul Spowart deserves praise for the way he dominated the centre battle with Laurence Pearce, our chief tormentor in the heavy defeat at Preston Avenue, as does Jacob German who had an excellent game both at fullback and, after the injury to Tom Robinson, as an emergency scrumhalf.
Player/Coach Ash Smith was full of praise for his side when he spoke after the game: “We have worked so hard in training over the last couple of weeks, especially in ways to get the best out of our backline and that showed today. We are gutted at the result and know that we scored twice at the end to win the game. That decisions even out over the season really doesn’t help at the moment, but we have to lift ourselves for a tough game at Huddersfield next week. The lads are not too down as they know how well they played today”.
Credit to Scunthorpe, they may have been relieved at the final whistle, but they showed what an excellent side they are, scoring five tries to maintain their promotion push and we wish them well for the remainder of the season. It was a great game played at full tilt by two fully committed sides and we thank them both for the game and for their wonderful hospitality and look forward to meeting them again in the not-too-distant future. Thanks, as always, to referee Jack Johnson, without whom there is no game.
There was no other rugby played by the Club at the weekend, with both the Panthers and the Lions having their games postponed. Next week, the 1st XV are again on the road when they travel to Huddersfield in what will be another tough game, KO at 2pm. Closer to home, the Lions travel to Blaydon in the league, KO also at 2pm. All support would be welcome.
Percy Park: 15 Jacob German; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Ash Smith; 12 Paul Spowart; 11 Seb Reece; 10 Fergus Simpson; 9 Tom Robinson; 8 Matthew French; 7 Phil Crichton; 6 Leo Caulfield; 5 Karl Thompson; 4 Josh Hedley; 3 Sam Digman; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Tristan Grant
Replacements: Otis Collingbourne; Sean Nairn; Sol Kench;