Saturday 1 March 2025
Percy Park 7 Blaydon 32
Regional 1 North East
(HT: 7-25)
In the clubhouse pre-match, all of the talk from both sets of supporters was that this was a ‘must win’ game for both clubs, the threat of relegation for both sides now a real possibility with just four games remaining in the regular league season. Yes, there were murmurings that Blaydon had recently been able to strengthen their side but, after last weeks big win over Sandal, there were high hopes of a Park derby day victory over our North-East rivals but those hopes were cruelly dashed very quickly, Blaydon taking early control and effectively being out of sight as the first quarter ended. In what can only be described as a shocking first half performance, Park were 7-25 adrift at half-time and although the second half effort was much better, the home side never looked as though they could claw back the deficit and at the final whistle, were well beaten. The frustrating thing was that in the second half we were more than able to compete with the visitors and had we done so from the start, it might have been a different game. But take nothing away from Blaydon, they looked like a top of the table side in that opening half, not a side at the bottom and after this performance, will be very confident going into their last three games.
There were, as usual, changes to the side that defeated Sandal last time out. Ash Smith returned to the side at fullback in place of Paul Spowart who dropped to the replacements bench. Seb Reece returned to the centre to partner Fergus Simpson with Ross Young reverting to his normal left wing position in place of Sol Kench. Our forward talisman and coach Keith Laughlin, so influential over the past few weeks, was unavailable to face his old side with Matthew French coming in as No 8. Leo Caulfield returned for the suspended Jonny Dubois in the back row, Karl Thompson returned to the second row with Sam Digman reverting to prop in place of Michael Birkett. Otis Collingbourne and Louis Adamson joined Spowart on the replacements bench.
On a dry, slightly overcast day with almost no breeze, perfect conditions for the game, Blaydon kicked off and within two minutes were ahead on the scoreboard. Park were penalised almost immediately from the start for a high tackle, Blaydon kicking into the left corner. The catch and drive was held and as the ball was moved at speed right, the home side strayed offside in front of their posts, Blaydon scrumhalf John Clarkson kicking the goal (0-3).
From the restart, Blaydon were quickly into the Park half, and when they moved the ball right, again at speed with quick hands, wing Kevin Slow (who was anything but) powered onto the ball with pace to race in at the right corner to score an excellent try on five minutes. There were grumblings on the sidelines about a possible forward pass but referee Ricki Handa gave the score. Clarkson missed the difficult conversion from wide out (0-8).
Things went from bad to worse just five minutes later when, after Park were caught offside just in their own half, Blaydon kicked the resultant penalty deep into the home 22. The catch and drive was held but when the ball was moved left, centre Ewan Greenlaw followed by several of their big forwards made ground almost to the home line. A clever change of direction from Clarkson opened space for standoff Dan Marshall to scamper over to the right of the posts. The conversion was missed, ten minutes played (0-13).
Park had barely laid hands on the ball and up front, appeared to have no answer to the physicality of the Blaydon forwards. The visiting backs were also proving to be quick and elusive, with everything about the visitors being high tempo. The home side were unable to keep any meaningful possession with the pressure Blaydon were exerting leading to indiscipline which referee Handa was only too happy to punish. When Park did get the ball, possession was quickly turned over, for example, second row Chris Reekie intercepted a pass and stormed forward only for the recycled ball to be kicked straight into touch. As the game moved into the second quarter Blaydon struck again. From a lineout on half way, Greenlaw again powered into Park territory, winning a penalty as a Park forward failed to roll away after the tackle. The penalty was kicked to the 22 metre line on the left touchline. Park immediately infringed again when a Blaydon jumper was illegally played in the air. Blaydon kicked to the corner and as the catch and drive edged towards the tryline, prop Sam Digman was adjudged to have deliberately collapsed the maul, a penalty try awarded by referee Handa and Digman given a yellow card on twenty-six minutes (0-20).
At this point, with the game ebbing away from the home side, Blaydon took advantage of the extra man on the half hour when, from yet another lineout deep in the Park 22, resulting from a home infringement, Park were unable to halt the ensuing maul with visiting No 8 Ethan Clarke powering over to score their bonus point try in the right corner. Clarkson missed the difficult conversion, the game effectively over (0-25).
As the clock entered the red at the end of the half, Park suddenly found some go forward. A fiercely contested ruck on half way had Blaydon penalised and quickly marched 10 metres back after questioning the referee’s decision. Centre Fergus Simpson kicked the penalty into the Blaydon 22. A throw to the back of the lineout quickly had the ball into midfield where scrumhalf Jacob German, seeing space, evaded several tackles in a scything run to score to the right of the posts, an excellent try converted by the lad himself (7-25). The referee immediately signalled half time, a sobering forty minutes for Park who were barely in the contest, the last second try at least offering some hope for the second half.
HT: Percy Park 7 Blaydon 25
Park kicked off the second half and were immediately on the defensive, Blaydon dominating possession with the home side unable to exit their half. However, in terms of defence and discipline Park were much improved from the opening period but on fifty minutes, after holding the visitors at bay in and around their 22 metre line, Park conceded yet again when, after containing a number of big carries, too many players were committed defensively and when Blaydon moved right at speed, centre Greenlaw found the space to score under the posts, Clarkson converting (7-32).
The score appeared to galvanise Park who, for the next ten minutes or so, enjoyed their best period of the game, quickly winning a penalty (high tackle) from the restart which was kicked into the Blaydon 22 but a poor lineout turned over possession immediately. When the visitors were again penalised for the same offence, Park gained some traction, a great break by skipper Howard Stock putting Park into the visitors 22, only for a knock-on as the ball was moved from the breakdown to again hand possession back to Blaydon who promptly infringed again in front of their posts on the hour mark. A tap and go had Park on the Blaydon tryline but they were penalised for not releasing the ball and the chance was lost. It was as close as Park came to a second half score.
As the game entered the last twenty minutes, Blaydon gained the ascendancy in terms of both territory and possession, Park unable to hold on to the ball and even when the visitors were reduced to fourteen, replacement flanker Samuela Tabuavuaka yellow carded for a no arms tackle on sixty-four minutes, the home side were unable to take advantage. With Park getting some possession, due mainly to Blaydon profligacy, they tried to attack through their backline but good Blaydon defence kept the home side pinned in their own half. As the game ended, Blaydon were attacking from a scrum awarded after another poor Park lineout.
FT: Percy Park 7 Blaydon 32
A hugely disappointing game from a home perspective, especially given the significance of the result in terms of possible relegation. The alarming fact is that twice in the last few weeks, Park have faced the bottom side in the league here at Preston Avenue (Selby in early February and now Blaydon) in vital games and in both have played so poorly. It is frustrating when compared with our games at high flying Scunthorpe and York, both of which we could and should have won. In the opening twenty minutes of the game today, Park could not cope with the physicality and speed of thought of the visitors, who thoroughly deserved their victory. Their big ball carriers were always able to breach the gain line and defensively, they stopped the Park forwards in their tracks. Starved of any meaningful possession, the Park backs could only defend. A malfunctioning lineout, poor line kicks and indiscipline did not help the home cause.
Four tries to the good after half an hour, Park were shell shocked and although the second half performance was much better, in truth they only seriously threatened the Blaydon try line once in that second half. Post match, player coach Ash Smith was too disappointed to speak, as were many of the players, but hooker Dan Shuttleworth had this to say: “You could not quote what I really think, we were awful. Nothing seemed to go right. Blaydon were up for it, I honestly thought we were, but after twenty, twenty-five minutes, it was all over. I just wanted the game to end, we were that bad.”
For Park, Tristan Grant and Chris Reekie tried to give the team some go forward and Jacob German played well in a losing effort, scoring a great try at the end of the first half and never shirking his defensive duties. For Blaydon, their forwards were excellent and in midfield, centre Ewan Greenlaw had an excellent game. Their half backs Marshall and Clarkson dictated the game and had Blaydon constantly on the front foot. We thank Blaydon for a tough but fair game (if not the result!) and hope that they enjoyed our hospitality. We also thank our match referee Ricky Handa and our sponsors for the game, Marine Safety Supplies.
The result still leaves Blaydon bottom of Regional 1 North East on 31 points, one point adrift of Park on 32 points. Selby, courtesy of a great 24-27 win at Scunthorpe, move out of the bottom two on 34 points. Blaydon face Sandal (H), Scunthorpe (A) and Selby (H) in their last three games, Selby face Alnwick (A), York (H), Blaydon (A) while Park play Cleckheaton (A), Huddersfield (H) and Driffield (A). It will be a tense end to the league season.
As noted above, the 1st XV travel to Cleckheaton next week, KO is 3 pm. For those unable to travel, the Panthers take on Rockcliff at Preston Avenue on Saturday, KO 2pm, and celebrate International Women’s Day in the process. It will be a lively clubhouse for sure post-match! The Lions are also at home on Saturday when they take on Billingham, KO is 3pm.
England play Scotland here in an U19 Men’s International on Saturday, 26 April, KO 2pm. Full details of ticketing and hospitality can be found on the club website and social media platforms.
Percy Park: 15 Ash Smith; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Seb Reece; 12 Fergus Simpson; 11 Ross Young; 10 Jordan Carey; 9 Jacob German; 8 Matthew French; 7 Leo Caulfield; 6 Jake Smith; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Karl Thompson; 3 Sam Digman; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Tristan Grant
Replacements: Paul Spowart; Otis Collingbourne; Louis Adamson