Saturday 13 April 2024
Birkenhead Park 19 Percy Park 42
Papa John’s Community Cup
Regional 2 Championship (North)
(HT: 7-18)
Having won the Regional 2 North league title three weeks ago and completed their league fixtures last week at Northern, Park embarked on their National Cup campaign on Saturday with a trip to the Wirral to take on Birkenhead Park who themselves have won the Regional 2 North West league championship. It was our second visit to the Merseyside club in twelve months, having been drawn together in the semi-final of the inaugural Plate competition last year, Park winning 20-42 to reach the final. A tough encounter was expected but, on the day, an exceptional performance from Park saw them win a very entertaining encounter 19-42, scoring seven tries to comprehensively beat the North West champions. After round one, Park sit proudly on top of the Regional 2 Championship (North) table on points difference from Selby who we meet next week at Preston Avenue. Some of our play, both in the backs and the forwards, was excellent and although there were some stand out performances it must be said that every player made their mark, everyone played well.
There were several changes to the Park side from last week’s game at Northern. Up front, in place of the injured Jake Smith, Joe Thompson came into the back row at blindside flanker with captain for the day Jonny Dubois switching to openside. In the backs, Ash Smith and Paul Spowart resumed their centre partnership replacing Ollie Bartles-Smith and Will Ponton, the latter dropping to the replacements bench. Seb Reece switched to the right wing in place of the unavailable Howard Stock with Lucas Rowell coming in on the left. With more replacements available in this competition, Ponton was joined by Aaron Smith, Michael Birkett, Michael Langlands, Eddie Saint and Charlie Miller on the bench.
On the Tuesday before the match, the Upper Park pitch had been under water after torrential rain and great credit must go to the excellent work of the Birkenhead Park ground staff to get the pitch ready in time for the pitch inspection on Friday afternoon. It was heavily sanded and looked decidedly rough in places, but it was more than playable. Conditions were dry, with sunny intervals, very breezy with the threat of rain never too far away.
The hosts kicked off with the wind at their backs and immediately Park showed their intent to play with width but the ball went forward on their own 10 metre line, allowing Birkenhead the scrum. Park appeared to be still on the bus as the home No 8 picked up, crashed through two attempted tackles to feed flanker and captain Sean Mooney who ran in unopposed from the 22 to score to the left of the posts on 3 minutes, Standoff Nick Baldwin kicked the conversion. A great start by the home side (7-0).
From the restart, Park had difficulty in retaining the ball but although the home side had possession, they rarely threatened the visitors 22 but when Birkenhead lost the ball in contact, a long kick from wing Lucas Rowell forced a Park lineout close to the Birkenhead 10 metre line. As the ball moved infield, second row Josh Hedley stormed into the Birkenhead 22 from a breakdown and after Rowell, standoff Fergus Simpson and second row Chris Reekie were held up on the line Park quickly conceded a penalty for not releasing the ball in the tackle after it looked as if they would score from a 5-metre scrum, the home pack under severe pressure.
The next few minutes saw play almost exclusively in home territory but Park were unable to keep the ball for any length of time and they conceded a scrum on halfway when the ball was knocked on after Birkenhead Park kicked to clear their lines. The hosts attempted to play the ball wide but the Park defence was more than equal to the task with the home side unable to get out of their half until Baldwin used the wind to kick an excellent 50/20 giving Birkenhead an excellent attacking opportunity but the attempted catch and drive was easily contained by the visitors, quickly winning the put in at a resulting scrum. As the first quarter ended, Park were beginning to lose their ‘bus legs’ after the long journey from Tyneside and from the scrum began to move the ball with real pace. A breakout at speed saw standoff Fergus Simpson, on a brilliant weaving run, storm into the Birkenhead half and as the ball was moved right, at pace, the move broke down when the final pass went straight into touch. Park now looked full of running and when the home side lost the ball in midfield Park were straight on the attack along the left touchline. Unable to properly clear their lines, Birkenhead eventually strayed offside in front of their posts and up stepped centre Paul Spowart to put our first points on the board on 24 minutes (7-3).
Birkenhead won possession from the restart and when they moved the ball to the right touchline, it looked as if wing Will du Randt would score in the corner, but Seb Reece had other ideas, haring across the field to stop the wing in his tracks with a superb tackle on the try line. A penalty was conceded although it was difficult to see the referee’s signal as to why. The tackle itself was hard but fair, the home players had no complaint even though du Randt was unable to continue, and the referee James Evans made no move to speak to Reece and it may well of been an infringement in follow up play. Birkenhead elected to take the scrum, but it was easily contained with Park quickly regaining possession to move, again, at pace to halfway where they gained a penalty after the home side infringed. Centre Ash Smith was able to take play to midway inside the home sides half with a lineout on the right touchline. As the ball moved left infield, Reece began to move at speed from his wing to take the ball and scythe through the home defence to score just infield from the left touchline on the half hour. Spowart was unable to convert but Park were ahead for the first time in the match (7-8).
The next few minutes saw Park playing with width, moving the ball quickly with fullback Ross Young prominent, but losing the ball at key moments. The under-pressure home side were content, when they did get the ball, to kick long, unable to fashion anything by moving the ball through the hands. After two Park dropouts, the visitors regained possession, moving the ball left and then right and using second rows Hedley and Reekie to smash holes in midfield. Birkenhead were hanging on, but the dam eventually broke when a Young break took play almost up to the Birkenhead 22 before the ball was powered forward through James Black, captain Jonny Dubois and Chris Reekie before the ball was sent left for Simpson to give the scoring pass to Ash Smith who ran in for the try on 37 minutes in almost the same spot as Reece a few minutes earlier. A superb score that appeared to this onlooker as if it involved every Park player in the buildup. Spowart was again unable to convert in the difficult breeze (7-13).
From the restart, Park scored again, Ash Smith running through the home defence to put a long kick into the Birkenhead 22. From the lineout, midway inside the 22 on the left touchline, Park mauled the ball toward the tryline but were awarded a penalty after it was illegally stopped. The penalty kick to touch, a textbook catch and drive with skipper Dubois scoring wide out on the left on the half time whistle. Spowart was unable to convert, the breeze strengthening (7-18).
HT: Birkenhead Park 7 Percy Park 18
Park had dominated the second quarter and as the second half kicked off, the home side needed a response and sure enough, it came within four minutes of the restart. An early Park infringement gave the home side the opportunity to kick to halfway. Park stole the lineout but knocked on in midfield and from the resulting scrum Birkenhead attacked along the right touchline. After several phases, centre Scott Davidson was able to slip a tackle to score under the posts. Baldwin converted (14-18).
The try appeared to galvanise the home side and they began to gain some possession, but their main attacking threat was a long kicking game, either out of hand or from Park infringements. They did attempt to move the ball from a midfield scrum, moving the ball first left then right but Parks excellent and robust defence was sound forcing the home side to eventually knock-on. From the defensive scrum, Park kicked to clear their lines but the ball was brilliantly reclaimed by Reece who fed fullback Ross Young who was into Birkenhead Park territory in an instant. For the next few minutes, after Birkenhead regained the ball, Park kept the home side pinned in and around their own 22 with another excellent defensive effort but when they turned over the ball, Park were on the attack immediately with quick hands putting the ball into the hands of Seb Reece on the right wing and it was only a last ditch tackle that stopped him scoring. However, the referee had been playing advantage as the hosts had strayed offside in midfield and Smith kicked the penalty into the left-hand corner. The catch and drive, as has been the case so often this season, was perfect with prop Sam Digman touching down on 57 minutes, the try bonus point secured. With the strong breeze Spowart was unable to convert from wide out (14-23).
The home side gained possession from the restart but were unable to do anything with it before the ball was turned over by the visitors. A fantastic break by scrumhalf Andrew Walker brought play into opposition territory before a delicate grubber kick left could not quite be gathered by the speeding Young and a kick ahead by wing Lucas Rowell went dead. As the third quarter ended, Park had a golden opportunity to stretch the lead after Ash Smith put a long kick into the right corner, Park stole the lineout, but referee Evans awarded Park an attacking 5-metre scrum after a home knock-on. Park secured the ball and as they moved to the try line, control of the ball was lost, and home flanker Stuart Cross pounced to touch the ball down, an excellent defensive effort. Park had a stranglehold on both territory and possession with the hosts unable to escape from their own 22 and it was not long before Park scored again. Birkenhead conceded a penalty in the right corner and Park elected to take the scrum. As Walker passed out to Ash Smith (who had moved to standoff after an injury to Fergus Simpson) Seb Reece came off his wing into midfield, received the pass and simply ghosted through the home defence, leaving three players in his wake, to score to the left of the posts midway to the left touchline for another superb score on 69 minutes. Ash Smith converted (14-30).
Reece scored again three minutes later. The home side knocked-on quickly after gaining possession from the restart, and from the scrum four quick passes had the ball in the hands of the flying right wing. He powered over halfway along the right touchline and a sharp turn of direction had him in under the posts for his hat trick and another great try. Smith converted (14-37). Park were not finished yet as they scored again almost directly from the restart. Captain Jonny Dubois made the break into the Birkenhead Park half, the move was carried on by Walker and when the move broke down, the ball was recycled right for replacement prop Aaron Smith, wide on the right, to replicate Reece and canter over on 75 minutes. Ash Smith was unable to convert the difficult kick in the strong wind (14-42).
As the clock ticked down, there was time for a home consolation try, scrum half Sam Chidley sniping over two minutes from time after Park had conceded two quick penalties in their own 22. The try was unconverted (19-42). Park held firm for the last few seconds as Birkenhead looked for a way to secure at least a try bonus point.
FT: Birkenhead Park 19 Percy Park 42
A comprehensive victory against the Regional 2 North West Champions sets Park up for the challenge of Regional 2 North East Champions Selby RUFC at home next week. In the forwards, Josh Hedley and Joe Thompson excelled, Fergus Simpson and Andrew Walker controlled things at half back and Seb Reece was a constant threat on the wing but everyone played well and it was great to see that all of the replacements had some game time so credit to the coaches. For Birkenhead Park, a sobering day at the office but they were gracious in defeat, and we wish them well (but not too well) in their remaining two pool games. They have had an outstanding season, winning the Cheshire Vase in addition to their league title. They were excellent hosts, and we thank them for their splendid hospitality, and it was a great craic after the game sadly curtailed due to the constraints of time and travel. A great club with great people. Our thanks too to James Evans who refereed the game superbly.
Post match, El Presidente Keith Atkinson shared his thoughts on the game (before the Port got the better of him): “We played so well, particularly in the first half against the wind after we had shaken off what is a tiring journey. Birkenhead Park are unbeaten at home and for us to come here and win so well is a massive result and, hopefully, it sets us up for the rest of the cup campaign. A tough game next week but after today, the lads must be confident. I think we bullied them up front and we had far too much pace in our backs which they simply could not cope with. Nice to see Langers (Michael Langlands) back on first team duties. All in all, outstanding, a great day. Birkenhead Park are a club with a proud history, and they have been fantastic hosts, but we now look forward to Selby”.
The future of the club looks very bright with players of the calibre of Rowell and Ponton coming through the junior sections and the only blight on a great day were injuries to both Fergus Simpson and James Black who join Leo Caulfield, Jamie Wrigley and Jake Smith on the sidelines.
In the other pool game, Selby defeated Old Brodleians 41-37 at home, scoring a try bonus point, and our game against them is next Saturday (20 April), KO at 3pm. Our hosts today travel to Old Brodleians who secured two bonus points in their defeat at Selby.
There is a pre match lunch next week, details from either myself or Mick Ishida.
Finally, our thanks to Marc Cook and Jamie Wrigley who organized the quiz on the trip to Merseyside. I am happy to report that the ancients at the front of the bus crashed and burned and finished last. It was not so much that we didn’t know the answers, we just didn’t understand the questions! It might also have been of help if our scribe, Mr Atkinson, wasn’t illiterate!!
Percy Park: 15 Ross Young; 14 Seb Reece; 13 Ash Smith; 12 Paul Spowart; 11 Lucas Rowell; 10 Fergus Simpson; 9 Andrew Walker; 8 James Black; 7 Jonny Dubois; 6 Joe Thompson; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Josh Hedley; 3 Matt Atkinson; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Sam Digman.
Replacements: Aaron Smith, Michael Birkett, Michael Langlands, Eddie Saint, Charlie Miller, Will Ponton