Saturday 6 December 2025
Percy Park 19 Consett 37
Regional 2 North
(HT: 7-27)
Over the past few games, Percy Park have managed some excellent results despite the huge number of players missing through injury and unavailability but we were unable to sustain that momentum when in form Consett, at full strength, inflicted a comprehensive 19-37 home defeat on Saturday last. The game was effectively over at half time with Consett leading 7-27 after a dominant first half from the visitors.
There were numerous changes to the side that won at Morpeth last weekend with Jacob German replacing Tom Robinson at fullback, Will Ponton making a welcome return from his sojourn in New Zealand at centre in place of the unavailable Seb Reece with Freddie Harra replacing Andrew Walker at scrumhalf. In the forwards, Joe Ford replaced Dan Shuttleworth at hooker, Nick Macklin-Copeland came into the front row in place of Sam Digman with Sean Nairn replacing the suspended Chris Reekie in the second row. A whole new replacements bench was required, Eddie Saint, Jake Bell and Matt Dunn.
Consett kicked off, the conditions damp and murky, the pitch heavy through continual midweek rain, and for the first few minutes the contest was fairly even, with the visitors probably having slightly more in the way of possession and territory without creating any real opportunities but all that changed after seven minutes when, from a ruck on their right midway inside the Park half, Consett moved the ball left and a mazy run from centre Kevan Slow created the overlap with second row Jack Read scoring wide out in the left corner. The try was unconverted (0-5).
Things got even worse for the home side when, just three minutes later, Consett scored again. From a scrum on halfway, Consett won a penalty but the referee played advantage as superb hands had the ball moving at speed left for replacement Will Penrose to score an excellent try wide out on the left. This was also unconverted by fullback Brandon Asher-Wood (0-10).
The visitors began to dominate proceedings with Park hard pressed to deal with the physicality of their forwards and the speed of their backline. Only a penalty awarded for crossing saved Park after another excellent move by the Consett backs had pierced the Park defence. After Park knocked on after a lineout on halfway, more superb work by the Consett backline had the Park defence at sixes and sevens and only a high tackle prevented a score. The referee again played advantage but when nothing came of it, Asher-Wood kicked the penalty to stretch the lead on twenty-one minutes (0-13).
Park began to win some meaningful possession and play in the Consett half but without creating any real scoring opportunities and when the ball was turned over Consett were able to force a lineout on halfway. From there, they were able to keep possession through multiple phases, eventually winning a scrum and from there, quick hands again moving the ball left had standoff Ish Perkins run a great line to score to the left of the posts on twenty-one minutes. Asher-Wood converted (0-20).
The home side were then able to build a head of steam, eventually earning a penalty midfield that was sent into the right corner. From there, a textbook catch and drive saw emergency flanker Paul Spowart (who has been playing really well in his unaccustomed position) go over, Paul also kicking an excellent conversion on twenty-eight minutes (7-20). The home side joy was short lived however, Consett scoring another excellent try on thirty-four minutes after another excellent break from Slow completely split the Park defence and Perkins was on hand to score his second try to earn the bonus point for his side. Asher-Wood converted (7-27).
In the last few minutes of the half, Park exerted pressure on the Consett try line, spurning two kickable penalties in search of a try but the ball was knocked forward and the chance was lost.
HT: Percy Park 7 Consett 27
Things did not start off too well in the second half, an early penalty for offside on halfway allowing Consett to kick deep into the Park 22. This enabled Consett to exert real pressure on the Park line with only desperate defence from the home side preventing the score. When, finally, Park were penalised two metres out from their line for preventing release of the ball at a ruck, a quick tap and go had prop Elijah Brookes-Bowen go over just to the left of the posts. Scrumhalf Lewis Bowman missed the conversion on 47 minutes (7-32).
Consett continued to dominate possession and territory but when they conceded a penalty on the home 22, it allowed Park, eventually, to force a scrum on halfway. The ball was kicked towards the right corner only for the Consett to fumble leaving skipper Howard Stock, following up superbly, free to pick up the ball and scamper over to the right of the posts on sixty-four minutes. Spowart missed the conversion (12-32). However, any Park joy was relatively short lived as just a few minutes later, it was Park conceding a penalty for nor releasing with the kick being put into the left corner. The catch and drive from the visitors was excellent, allowing hooker Jack Yarrell to peel off and score. Bowman missed the conversion (12-37).
With the game lost, Park at least had the last hurrah when, after a scrum around the Consett 22, a clever cross kick had the Consett defence scrambling but unable to stop replacement Matt Dunn from picking up and scoring to the left of the posts, Chapman converting (19-37).
FT: Percy Park 19 Consett 37
A difficult day, facing a very good Consett side short of so many players and in truth, Park were second best from the start. The game was probably over by halftime but the lads never gave up and actually won the second half 12-10.
The defeat means that Consett now take our place in second in Regional 2 North with Park slipping down to fourth behind Sunderland. Things do not get much easier next week as the team travel to Durham City, KO 2pm. On Sunday, the Panthers take on fierce rivals Rockcliff, KO 2pm. All support would be welcome.
Percy Park: 15 Jacob German; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Will Ponton; 12 Fergus Simpson; 11 Tom Bird; 10 George Chapman; 9 Freddie Harra; 8 Josh Cox; 7 Seth Henderson; 6 Paul Spowart; 5 Sean Nairn; 4 Josh Hedley; 3 Nick Macklin-Copeland; 2 Joe Ford; 1 Tristan Grant
Replacements: Eddie Saint; Jake Bell; Matt Dunn