Alnwick Too Strong For Injury Hit Visitors
- Ken Bell
- Category: 1st XV Reports 24/25
- Hits: 67
Saturday 8 February 2025
Alnwick 41 Percy Park 10
Regional 1 North East
(HT: 17-3)
Park travelled the (relatively) short distance north to take on our old friends and rivals Alnwick and, in an attritional, dour encounter, suffered a heavy defeat, their nineth in succession. It was an improved performance after the defeat at home to Selby last week but with a side weakened by injury and unavailability, the hosts proved just too strong although the final score was a little flattering to the home side.
There were changes to the side that took to the field against Selby, which has been the case so often this season, with Seb Reece moving into the centre to replace the injured Ash Smith, Sol Kench taking his place on the left wing. Jordan Carey replaced the injured Fergus Simpson at standoff and in the forwards, Dan Shuttleworth returned as hooker, Sam Digman reverted to prop to replace the injured Tristan Grant, Chris Reekie replaced Josh Hedley in the second row and Karl Thompson returned on the flank. Oli Bartles-Smith made a welcome return to the replacements bench alongside Otis Collingbourne and Michael Birkett.
On a cold overcast day with a heavy pitch, Alnwick kicked off and a break by the home outside centre Alex Robson had Alnwick in the visitors 22, gaining a scrum after the visitors knocked on. As the Park eight were moved ominously backward, the ball was moved left only for the Alnwick standoff and captain Callum Burn to wrong foot the Park defence with a scything arc right from the 22 to score to the right if the posts with barely a hand laid on him. Scrumhalf James Blackett kicked the conversion, just three minutes played (7-0).
From the restart, Park lost their own lineout in the Alnwick 22, regaining possession from a box kick that failed to find touch but as the ball was moved left a fierce counter ruck at the breakdown had Alnwick hacking on with Park scrambling to touch the ball down in goal. From the goal line drop out Alnwick knocked on, as they did again shortly afterwards which allowed the visitors to scrum in home territory, midfield. A break from the scrum was stopped by a high tackle with Park electing to kick for goal and up stepped centre Paul Spowart to kick the penalty on nine minutes (7-3).
The game seemed to then settle into a game of kick tennis with the most significant factor being that Park had lost almost every lineout, three of which were on their own throw. As the first quarter ended, Alnwick were using their big forwards to drive into the visiting 22 but excellent Park defence won a penalty and the visitors were able to clear their lines Despite struggling in the lineout, Park began to gain possession and territory with the Alnwick penalty count increasing but they could not find the necessary cutting edge and when Park were penalised for tackling an Alnwick player without the ball it gave the home side the opportunity to attack from the resultant lineout midway in the Park half on the left touchline. As Park infringed again on their 22 (not rolling away) the penalty was kicked into the right corner and the catch and drive had hooker Duncan Smith (on his 200th appearance for the club) scoring the try on 28 minutes, Blackett kicking an excellent conversion from wide out (14-3).
Again, perhaps because of the very heavy pitch, both sides reverted to the kicking game with Park gaining plenty of possession but unable to get beyond the Alnwick 22. The home side were able to relieve the pressure due to Park indiscipline or handling errors and when they did have the ball, Alnwick were content to use their forwards as a battering ram. As the clock moved into the red at the end of the half, the visitors conceded a penalty on their own 10 metre line in midfield (side entry into the ruck) and with the last kick of the opening forty minutes, Blackett kicked the goal (17-3).
HT: Alnwick 17 Percy Park 3
The visitors kicked off the second half, but the home side were quickly into their stride, again using their forwards to gain ground through the midfield. Park were quickly penalised for not rolling away after the tackle and Blackett kicked the penalty after forty-two minutes (20-3).
Park were quickly penalised again for a no arms tackle which allowed Alnwick to get back into the visiting half and this was followed, perhaps because of the energy sapping conditions, by another bout of kick tennis. Park did start to attempt to put the ball wide but mistakes gifted possession back to the home side. A Park scrum in midfield had, for the first time, the Alnwick eight retreating but the resulting penalty kick to touch was missed, giving hard won possession straight back to the hosts. A period of Park possession in and around the Alnwick 22 yielded no reward as tenacious Alnwick defence prevented any breach of the gain line.
After holding their own for the opening fifteen minutes of the half, Park conceded a lineout on the visiting 22 on the right. A series of drives had the home forwards on the Park tryline with only desperate defence keeping them out but, eventually, with no cover left, standoff Callum Burn was able to jink his way over the line to score under the posts on fifty-seven minutes. Blackett kicked the conversion (27-3).
From the restart Alnwick were immediately on the attack, two quick penalties gifting them territory that put the visitors under huge pressure. Excellent defence was rewarded when Alnwick knocked on, danger averted. Park were able to gain some momentum and a lineout just inside the home 22. Sam Digman drove into the home defence but as the move broke down, Park No 8 Matthew French suffered a serious looking knee injury that held up play for several minutes. Park attempted to play wide from a scrum when the game restarted but the ball quickly went to ground again gifting the home side possession. Park were still struggling in the lineout and another lost throw on halfway enabled Alnwick to put pressure on the visitors in and around their 22. Some hard defending saw second row Chris Reekie suffer a nasty facial injury that required him to leave the field.
Alnwick conceded a penalty shortly thereafter which allowed the visitors to relieve the pressure, but Park again lost the lineout on their own throw and Alnwick attacked midfield through their forwards, No 8 Ben Gothorp, with a quick change of direction, wrong footing the defence to score to the right of the posts on seventy-three minutes. Blackett converted (34-3). Alnwick were quickly into the visiting half, their forwards rampaging to the 22 but as the ball was moved left standoff Jordan Carey intercepted the move and kicked downfield to win a 50/22 lineout which was quickly taken by quick thinking scrumhalf Jacob German, completely catching the home defence cold, Sol Kench able to score under the posts, Spowart converting on seventy-seven minutes (34-10).
There was still time for the home side to add to their score. From the restart, Park lost the ball attempting to play out of their 22 enabling Alnwick to turn the screw. They were held up over the line but forced a 5 metre lineout in the right corner. The catch and drive was finished by (I think) hooker Duncan Smith, Blackett converting with the last kick of the game (41-10).
FT: Alnwick 41 Percy Park 10
Another tough day at the office for Park with more injury problems as both Matthew French and Chris Reekie were forced to leave the field. All credit to Alnwick, their forwards were mostly dominant and in the main, they kept it tight, using their big ball carriers to good effect and they deserved the victory. Park struggled with their lineout and their kicking game was not always accurate, but they stayed in the fight and the last two Alnwick tries were scored only after the loss of influential forwards French and Reekie. We thank Alnwick for a hard but fair match and for their hospitality. We also thank our referee for the day Cam Livingstone.
There is no let up for the lads as this coming Saturday they travel to high flying York in a league encounter, KO is 3pm. Closer to home, the Lions travel to Northern, KO 2pm while the Panthers, after a hard fought 14-17 win at Gateshead, have a rest weekend. All support would be welcome.
Percy Park: 15 Will Ponton; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Seb Reece; 12 Paul Spowart; 11 Sol Kench; 10 Jordan Carey; 9 Jacob German; 8 Matthew French; 7 Jonny Dubois; Karl Thompson; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Sean Nairn; 3 Sam Digman; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Aaron Smith
Replacements: Oli Bartles-Smith, Otis Collingbourne; Michael Birkett