Saturday 3 October 2026
Percy Park 62 Penrith 48
Regional 2 North
(HT: 43-19)
Yes, one hundred and ten points were scored. No, it was not a basketball game. Yes, the defence coaches are not sleeping BUT what an incredible game. Defensive lapses apart (and there were plenty), this was a game full of attacking intent, particularly from Percy Park, and an incredible result against one of the more fancied teams for promotion this year. Credit to Penrith, they played their part in what was a great game, maybe not for the purists because of, on occasion, very poor defence, but for those who truly love the game watching this was pure joy with eighteen tries scored. The visitors, despite a terrible first half, dragged themselves back to within one score in the second before a Park second wind secured the points.
Park made several changes to the side that defeated West Hartlepool last weekend. In the backline, Dan Jackson moved from the right wing to the left to replace Tom Bird with Freddie Hara coming in on the right. At scrumhalf, James Towell replaced Jacob German. In the forwards, Sam Digman came into the front row to replace Kieran Hope, who dropped to the replacements bench, and skipper Matthew French and flanker Leo Caulfield exchanged positions, French returning to his normal No 8 place in the side. Hope joined Jake Smith and Seth Henderson on the replacements bench.
On a bright, sunny afternoon, Park kicked off and put the visiting defence under early pressure in their own 22. Park won several penalties from referee Adam Morrison who played the advantage but when play broke down, Park kicked to the left corner. The lineout resulted in an overthrow that was still smuggled back on the home side and great work by the home forwards had second row Chris Reekie score in the left corner on two minutes, an excellent start. The conversion from wide out was missed (5-0).
From the restart, Park attacked along the right touchline with only a foot in touch preventing what looked like a probable score. The home side continued to apply real pressure on the visitors and a transgression in the Penrith 22 saw the home side kick to the right corner. The catch and drive was held on the visiting line but quick hands from scrumhalf James Towell found flanker Leo Caulfield in space who went over to the right of the posts on nine minutes. The conversion was missed (10-0). From the restart Penrith were immediately penalised for offside, allowing Park to gain territory and their forwards were soon causing the visitors real problems. From a relieving kick, Park fullback George Bogg carried strongly putting Park straight back onto the front foot and when Penrith strayed offside in their own 22, the ball was again kicked to the right corner. The catch and drive had Reekie over for his second try on thirteen minutes, the score unconverted (15-0).
Penrith got the game back underway but a fantastic break by Park standoff Will Ponton had the visitors scrambling. The Park forwards carried into the visiting 22 and a quick tap and go from yet another Penrith penalty had Reekie up to the visiting line but the ball was not secured and Penrith centre Sonny Askins was able to pick up. He burst up the left touchline, bouncing off three attempted home tackles before passing to wing Finlay Binks on halfway who ran in unopposed for a length of the field try on twenty-three minutes. The try was converted by standoff Isaac Murray (15-7). The response was immediate, Park winning the restart, their forwards storming into the Penrith 22 for great hands to put prop Sam Digman in under the posts on twenty-five minutes, Ponton converting (22-7).
Just three minutes later, Park scored again. After the ball went loose in the Penrith 22, a poor clearance kick was run back brilliantly by fullback George Bogg who put centre Matt Dunn into space and he found hooker Dan Shuttleworth who went over for Ponton to convert (29-7). We then actually had some play in the Park half as the visitors won a scrum almost from the restart. Penrith kept possession through their forwards well, before the ball was eventually moved left. Centre Sonny Askins shrugged off four attempted tackles before going over to the left of the posts on thirty-three minutes, Murray converting (29-14). Penrith then showed what a great attacking team they are themselves with, arguably, the try of the game just two minutes later. From the restart, Park kicked long and from almost their own line, the visiting forwards ran hard out of the 22. The ball was moved left and, somehow, two Penrith players were allowed to wriggle out of tackles almost on the touchline on the 22-metre line. The ball was moved infield for hooker Ben Campbell to break clear and pass infield to scrumhalf Olly Newton on halfway who ran hard unopposed to score in the left corner for an excellent try. The conversion was missed (29-19).
Park responded with two tries of their own before the break. After Penrith secured the ball from the restart, great work from Chris Reekie turned the ball over, earning a penalty that was kicked to the left corner. Another great catch and drive had hooker Dan Shuttleworth go over for his second try on thirty-eight minutes, Ponton converting (36-19). There was time for one more score before the break. Park won a lineout on the Penrith 10 metre line and carries from Chris Reekie and Sam Digman brought play up to the 22. The ball was moved left for flanker Jonny Dubois to crash through four attempted tackles and score to the left of the posts, Ponton converting to bring a breathless first half to a close (43-19).
HT: Percy Park 43 Penrith 19
Some harsh words must have been said at halftime because Penrith came out looking for more than just a losing bonus point. They scored within two minutes of the second half getting underway when, after they won a free kick at a scrum in midfield, replacement Robbie Phillipson made huge ground, almost to the Park line, with prop Adam Howe on hand to pick up and score. The conversion was missed (43-24). They scored again just four minutes later after a breathless period of play. Park spilled the ball and Penrith retained possession just outside the home 22, moving the ball left and right before hooker Ben Campbell broke through the defensive line. His wayward pass was picked up by standoff Isaac Murray who scampered over to the left of the posts but he was unable to convert his own score. Forty-six minutes played and Penrith back in the game (43-29).
Penrith now had their tails up and scored a third successive try in just nine minutes of the second half. After Park lost possession in the Penrith 22, prop Jack Gaskell stormed up to just over halfway with the visitors eventually moving the ball left. Centre Sonny Askins drew two defenders before passing left for wing Finlay Binks to run in and score wide out on the left, Murray converting the difficult kick (43-36). It was now just a one score game.
And they came looking for it. From the restart, Penrith worked the ball to within five metres of the Park line before a wayward pass gave possession back to the home side. But they were soon back into Park 22 and only desperate defence kept them at bay. Park won a scrum in their own half and good work between forwards and backs had them up to the Penrith 22. The ball was moved left and standoff Will Ponton found space and with No 8 Mattherw French on his left shoulder gave the scoring pass to his skipper who went over to the left of the posts on fifty-nine minutes, Ponton converting (50-36).
Penrith came again but a spilled ball allowed Park the opportunity to work the ball into the visiting 22. A Penrith infringement was punished with a kick to the left corner and only a superb counter ruck from the visiting forwards prevented another Park score but they were not to be denied. From a lineout in the visiting 22, good work from the forwards particularly Chris Reekie and Dan Shuttleworth gave prop Sam Digman the opportunity to use his strength to crash over on sixty-nine minutes to almost make the game safe. The conversion was missed (55-36).
A period of pressure saw Penrith score again on seventy-five minutes, when the ball was worked left from a breakdown on the Park 22, centre Harley Johnson was able to jink through several attempted tackles to score to the left of the posts, Murray converting (55-43). There was still to be a last hurrah from both sides in the remaining few minutes. Firstly, Park scored two minutes from time from a line out midway in the visiting 22 on the right. Second row Chris Reekie made ground almost to the line before prop Sam Digman was able to gather and score. Ponton converted (62-43). Penrith had the last word, centre Sonny Askins pouncing on a loose ball to speed along the left touchline to score wide out as the clock entered the red zone. Murray was unable to convert (62-48).
FT: Percy Park 62 Penrith 48
An incredible game, with strangely, every one of Park’s ten tries coming from the forwards. It was a great team effort but several of Penrith’s scores were due to poor defence. That said, when the visitors got to within a score in the second half, the team were able to raise their game to go well clear again. All of the forwards deserve great credit for what was an awesome display, with Will Ponton my pick of the backs. It might be early in the season but Park sit proudly at the summit of Regional 2 North.
Penrith will be disappointed. To score forty-eight points that included eight tries away from home and still be on the losing side will not be easy to take but they played well, particularly in the third quarter when they scored three tries in quick succession to bring the game to the boil. We thank them for a fantastic game played in a great spirit and we look forward to the return in Cumbria later in the season. Thanks also to referee Adam Morrison who had a great game in charge.
The Lions were also in action on Saturday, winning their opening Counties 3 North East (North) game 52-21 at home to Houghton and on Sunday the Colts were in Cup action beating West Hartlepool 40-33 at Preston Avenue to maintain their excellent start to the new season. Sadly, the Panthers lost 0-31 at home to Houghton on Sunday in their NC3 North (North) encounter.
Next weekend, it is second versus first in Regional 2 North when the 1st XV visit Novocastrians, KO 3pm on Saturday. If you cannot travel, the Lions entertain Blyth in the league, KO 3pm while on Sunday, the Panthers travel to Consett, KO 2pm.
Percy Park: 15 George Bogg; 14 Freddie Hara; 13 Howard Stock; 12 Matthew Dunn; 11 Dan Jackson; 10 Will Ponton; 9 James Towell; 8 Matthew French ©; 7 Leo Caulfield; 6 Jonny Dubois; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Austin Phillips; 3 Sam Digman; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Joe Green
Replacements: Kieran Hope; Jake Smith; Seth Henderson