Saturday 28 February 2026
Percy Park 33 Aspatria 13
Regional 2 North
(HT: 19-8)
Aspatria were the visitors to Preston Avenue last Saturday and in a hard fought and at times feisty game, Park earned a bonus point win to cement their position in third in the Regional 2 North league table, comfortably within the play off places. The home side built a sixteen-point lead with three tries within the first half hour and looked on course for a very big win but, after the bonus point try early in the second period, the game became littered with mistakes with the penalty count against the home side mounting, with only a last-minute try adding lustre to the final score.
After the narrow victory at Upper Eden last weekend there were the inevitable changes to the team through injury and unavailability. In the backline the versatile Jacob German moved from scrumhalf to fullback, Monty Snary dropping to the replacements bench. Fergus Simpson returned to the midfield to replace Will Ponton who moved to standoff. George Chapman moved from standoff to scrumhalf. In the forwards, Sam Digman returned to the front row to replace the injured Dan Shuttleworth, Chris Reekie replaced Sean Nairn in the second row and Matthew French returned in the back row to replace Joey Cassidy. Mark Barry and Seth Henderson joined Snary on the replacements bench.
On a dry (until the final whistle), slightly overcast day with very little wind, Aspatria kicked off and within two minutes had earned a penalty when Park strayed offside just inside their 22, visiting standoff Jack Clegg kicking the straight forward goal (0-3). It did not take long for Park to respond, A devastating burst to the Aspatria line, Chris Reekie to the fore, had the ball recycled quickly and moved at speed right for skipper Howard Stock to go over in the corner on seven minutes, Aspatria running out of defenders. Scrumhalf George Chapman missed the difficult conversion (5-3).
Park nearly scored again straight from the restart, second row Josh Hedley beginning a stunning move that had Stock just unable to hold the final pass from fullback Jacob German. It would have been one of the tries of the season. As the opening quarter ended, the home side were playing some great running rugby but unnecessary infringements were halting progress, the penalty count rising. In addition, the home lineout was simply not functioning effectively, an attacking lineout butchered as the throw to the back simply finding a visiting player in space. However, Park extended their lead when, from a scrum inside the visiting 22, the excellent Matthew French stormed to the line and when stopped, the ball was quickly into the hands of big Josh Hedley who crashed over on twenty-three minutes, Chapman converting (12-3).
Aspatria were struggling to get into the game, the destructive tackling of the home back row, Paul Spowart to the fore, stopping any meaningful phases. On twenty-seven minutes Park scored again. A fantastic break from German from the visiting 10 metre line had him selflessly pass outside him to Oli Bartles-Smith who went over unopposed to the right of the posts, Chapman kicking the conversion (19-3).
A high tackle in midfield had Park kicking into the 22 where they were able to eventually maul almost to the line. Illegally brought down, Park kicked to the corner but the resultant lineout again malfunctioned, Aspatria winning it and clearing their lines. As the first half came to a close, Aspatria at last gained an attacking platform with a scrum on the home 22. They moved the ball right and gained ground along the right touchline. As the ball moved infield, standoff Clegg was able to wriggle out of a tackle and jink to the line for a fine try on thirty-seven minutes which he was unable to convert (19-8). Park were able to mount one last attack before the halftime whistle, a fine Leo Caulfield break and a Will Ponton kick ahead just seeing the ball roll dead.
HT: Percy Park 19 Aspatria 8
Park kicked off the second half, and within the first minute further extended their lead. An attempted cross field 50/22 kick failed to find touch, the alert Freddie Harra managed to hack on with Aspatria scrambling defence unable to control the ball and there was Paul Spowart to pick up and dive over for the bonus point try. Chapman kicked an excellent conversion (26-8).
The next twenty minutes saw the game sink into mediocrity, with penalties stopping Park gaining any meaningful momentum. The game was beginning to get somewhat feisty, with referee Louis Dinsdale at one point marching the visitors back ten yards after an infringement was disputed on halfway.
As the final quarter began, Aspatria were starting to dominate possession and territory and they scored their second try after sixty-one minutes. After a long period of pressure in and around midfield, Aspatria gained a lineout on the right touchline just outside the home 22. The ball was moved infield and the visitors eventually created just enough space on the left touchline for left wing Dan Weir to canter over, Clegg failing with the conversion (26-13).
Park were forced to defend really well as Aspatria sensed that there was an opportunity to bring the game to within one score but it was the home side who had the final word a minute from full time. After Aspatria lost the ball around the home 10 metre line, Park worked it to halfway. When the ball was moved left, Freddie Harra went around his opposite number and raced to the 22 metre line, with the ball being moved at speed right for skipper Howard Stock to make ground before delivering the perfect offload to the supporting Leo Caulfield who sprinted over. George Chapman converted in the final act of the game (33-13).
FT: Percy Park 33 Aspatria 13
The win keeps Park third in the league table, six points ahead of Keswick and Sunderland but ten points adrift of second place Consett. Aspatria slip to second bottom after Durham City defeated Morpeth 42-17. Their performance was far better than their league position would indicate, with centre Sam Royale playing superbly. We wish them well for the remainder of the season and thank them for a hard-fought game. We also thank referee Louis Dinsdale without whom there is no game. For Park, the back row of Caulfield, Spowart and French were excellent and in the backs, Jacob German showed what an excellent player he is.
Elsewhere, the Lions ran out 41-43 winners at Jarrovians in what was a great game at Lukes Lane. Our previously unbeaten Colts were due to play at Sunderland/Westoe yesterday but I do not have a score at this time of posting.
Next weekend, the 1st XV travel to Keswick for a league encounter, KO 2pm with the Lions scheduled to travel to Ashington though please check club social media platforms for confirmation. The ladies travel to Jarrovians on Sunday, KO 2pm with the Colts enjoying a rest weekend.
Percy Park: 15 Jacob German; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Oli Bartles-Smith; 12 Fergus Simpson; 11 Freddie Harra; 10 Will Ponton; 9 George Chapman; 8 Matthew French; 7 Paul Spowart; 6 Leo Caulfield; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Josh Hedley; 3 Sam Digman; 2 Joe Ford; 1 Nick Macklin-Copeland;
Replacements: Mark Basrry; Seth Henderson; Monty Snary