REGIONAL 2 NORTH
KESWICK 25 – 31 PERCY PARK
If ever there was a match of two different game plans, this was it, with the home side electing to kick for points, position, chase and defend and the visitors bludgeoning there way first with the heavy pack and then trying to cut loose with pacey backs. Both worked in their own way and despite Park scoring 5 tries to Keswick’s 1, the powerful boot of Glen Wightman kept the home side in touching distance right up to the end.
Park got off to a flying start from the kick off with Josh Hedley dispossessing the home side and setting away Drew Walker down the left flank but the chip through went dead in the small in goal area so play was brought back for a scrum on the 10 metre line. The early couple of scrums were even until Park’s juggernaut pack began to get on top.
After 8 minutes Park were penalised for not rolling away in the tackle and up stepped Glen Weightman to kick an easy 3 points. A bright start by the visitors began to waiver as the Cumbrian side kept them pinned in their 22. Instead of opting to clear with a kick, Park decided attack was the best form of defence, only it wasn’t and fly half Kieran Mews obviously shrouded in a cloak of invisibility snaffled a pop pass to go through for an interception try and with the Weightman conversion the Davidson Park boys were 10 – 0 ahead.
Percy Park hit back within a couple of minutes with scrum half Andrew Walker evading the home side back row and racing to the try line, a candidate for the most outrageous dummy of the season was surprisingly effective before setting Fergus Simpson through to score, with Ash Smith kicking the extras – 10-7.
A Park indiscretion gave Glen Weightman another pop at goal on 18 minutes for the home team to lead 13-7.
Percy Park then got into their stride as a dominant scrum tied in the Keswick back room, with Leo Caulfield picking up at number eight and feeding Drew Walker to set the Park backs away down the right touch line. Jamie Wrigley came into the line to score in the corner. Ash Smith’s conversion gave the visitors the lead for the first time 13 -14 after a quarter of the game had gone.
A difference of opinion between Keswick prop Jamie McKenzie and Drew Walker saw them both shown yellow which on another day could have been a different colour, and Fergus Simpson stepped in to the scrum half berth as Ash Smith moved to fly half.
Park then scored their 3rd try of the day with Jake Smith benefitting from a deft pass from Josh Hedley to cross the line for the try and with the conversion Park lengthened their lead. 13-21.
Any thoughts of the Tyneside team stretching further ahead was snuffed out as another two penalties in quick succession by Weightman kept his side in the hunt as half time approached.
Park then went on the offensive with several driving mauls from the line out. Blind side Stephen Moss was sent to the bin for collapsing the maul, again on another day this could have been a penalty try. Park persevered with the catch and drive and eventually Leo Caulfield crossed for the try bonus point and Park led at half time 19-26.
As the mist descended Keswick started the brighter in the second half and 2 further penalties from the unerring Weightman boot took his side to within a point of Park
25 -26.
Percy Park declined several kickable penalties, opting instead for the line out, and time after time the Keswick defence held firm, with several warning too from the referee for collapsing the maul. Eventually after much pressure Jamie Wrigley scored his second try of the day when an attacking scrum in the Keswick half allowed the Park full back to use his pace to burst through a gap to score an unconverted try.
With 10 minutes remaining the visitors led by 6 points, so a converted try by the hosts could give them a narrow 1 point win. A speculative chip through by Mews should have been cleared up but the ball skidded on the greasy surface and a kick through meant a foot race to the line which Keswick looked to be winning, a tackle off the ball by Drew Walker stopped the advance and he was shown his second yellow card. Cries from the Keswick players and supporters for a penalty try were dismissed by the referee and Park had played their get out of jail free card as they held out for another bonus point win to remain 8 points clear at the summit of Regional 2 North ahead of local rivals Northern. Keswick’s performance belies their league position and they were well deserving of their losing bonus point on the day.
This year the Boxing Day rivalry between Percy Park and Whitley Bay Rockcliff takes place at Lovaine Avenue. The day starts off at 11.30 am with the Colts competing for the inaugural “Albi Duhrin Cup”. Albi sadly passed away earlier in the year and was a stalwart of both clubs. Maggie, Dan and Theresa will hopefully be there to hand over the cup to the winning side. The 1st XV game kicks off at 2.15pm.
Finally we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. League rugby returns to Percy Park on 6th January 2024 when our visitors are Upper Eden.
Photo Courtesy Julie Hedley
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