Saturday 6 April 2024
Northern 17 Percy Park 15
Regional 2 North
(HT: 7-5)
Our last league game of the season saw Park travel to Northern who have been hard on our heels at the top of the table for the entire league season. Despite our title win a fortnight ago, this was no ‘dead tie’ with Park eager to complete the double over our city rivals and Northern eager to preserve their 100% home record and avenge their opening day defeat at Preston Avenue. And so it proved with Northern edging a hard fought, attritional and very physical battle by two points thanks to a late penalty just four minutes from time. For the first time this season, Park were unable to gain a try bonus point in part due to an excellent defensive effort by the home side and in part due to our normally clinical back line not being quite on their game. The strong wind also had a negative effect on the match. That said, there are no complaints, a hard won victory for a team who have had a magnificent season and finish runners up to us in Regional 2 North. It seems that promotion and relegation issues are still being mulled over by those in power but if the rumour mill is true, Northern could be promoted as the best Regional 2 runners up in the north and Park certainly hope so.
There were a number of changes to the Park side that defeated Aspatria last time out to seal the league title and promotion, all in the back line. Will Ponton replaced Paul Spowart in the centre, the returning Fergus Simpson replaced the injured Ash Smith at standoff. On the replacements bench, Spowart was joined by the returning Aaron Smith and Mikey Fisher.
On a sunny afternoon albeit with a strong breeze, Park kicked off with the wind at their backs and were immediately on the attack forcing an early scrum penalty. A line out on the Northern 22 secured possession but despite two penalty advantages around the 22 Park’s attack fizzled out but after 4 minutes the visitors won another scrum penalty which Standoff Fergus Simpson put into the left corner. No 8 James Black drove hard for the line but when he was stopped the ball was spun wide right. The move broke down and the ball was hacked on by a Northern defender for, eventually, Northern prop Cole Cartmell to score almost under the posts on 7 minutes. Standoff Jonny Dowell converted. Northern had barely touched the ball and were seven to the good (7-0).
From the restart Northern infringed, a no arms tackle allowing a kick to the Northern 22. Again, the lineout was secured but as the ball was spun right it was knocked on and Northern relieved the pressure from the ensuing scrum, attacking along their left touchline but they lost the ball and from deep, Park attacked again. Multiple phases had Park on the Northen 10 metre line, Matt Atkinson to the fore, but the ball was again knocked on and the home side cleared to halfway. As the first quarter ended, Park had a chance to score after a penalty was awarded on halfway which was kicked to the Northern 22. The ball was mauled forward and the referee, Louis Dinsdale signalled another penalty advantage. The ball was kicked to the right-hand corner and captain Howard Stock was inches from touching down as the ball went dead. Minutes later, another penalty was kicked to the home 22 but a knock-on halted progress. Park had the lions share of both territory and possession but could not fashion a score in a tight, attritional game. Park attacked again and from a defensive scrum, the home side cleared to just outside their 22. Park moved the ball infield, and second row Josh Hedley threw a wonderful, looped pass that took out three defenders for left wing Seb Reece to score in the left-hand corner on 26 minutes. Will Ponton was unable to convert (7-5).
On 29 minutes, Northern were awarded a penalty in a rare foray into the Park half but Dowell pushed the resulting kick wide from almost in front of the posts. As the clock ticked down, Park twice had penalties that were kicked into the Northern 22 but on each occasion the ball was lost, and the home side were able to clear their lines. Despite most of the possession and territory, Park turned around at the break two points adrift of the hosts.
HT: Northern 7 Percy Park 5
As the second half got underway, the wind strengthening, Park were straight into the Northern 22 after excellent carries from both Reece and flanker Jake Smith but at a breakdown the ball was lost with Northern counter attacking at pace but when the attack looked likely to result in a score the home side were penalised and Park were able to clear their lines. The game began to get bogged down in midfield with mistakes from both sides, the wind having a definite effect, but Park eventually began to exert some pressure, particularly in the tight, which led to a penalty after several reset scrums. The ball was kicked to the left-hand corner and an excellent catch and drive saw Jake Smith score wide out on 54 minutes. However, with a gusting wind, Ponton was unable to kick the difficult conversion (7-10). From the kick off, Northern put pressure on in the visitors 22 but Park were defending well and after the ball was lost Park worked the ball towards half way but a dropped pass was scooped up by Northern centre Tom Chandler who raced in unopposed to go over under the posts on 65 minutes leaving Dowell with a simple conversion (14-10).
Park were able to respond immediately with Northern knocking on the restart and the visitors gaining another scrum penalty which was again kicked to the left hand corner. Another excellent catch and drive saw flanker Jonny Dubois go over on 68 minutes, but Ponton was again unable to convert the difficult conversion in the strong wind (14-15).
The score seemed to galvanise the home side and they began to mount sustained pressure on the visitors. Although Park were defending well, they were penalised for not releasing after the tackle and Dowell made no mistake with the resultingbpenalty kick, edging Northern in front on 76 minutes (17-15). They remained composed, not allowing Park any opportunities, to see the out the remaining few minutes of the game.
FT: Northern 17 Percy Park 15
A close game of fine margins. Although we outscored our hosts by three tries to two, easier kicks in a gusting breeze proved to be the difference in a game between two very evenly matched sides. Our congratulations to Northern on the win and a very good season. They go on to play Alnwick in the final of the Northumberland Senior Cup next week at Morpeth and we wish them well and hope that we meet them again next season. Our thanks also for their (always) excellent hospitality and again, as always, to today’s referee Louis Dinsdale without whom there is no game.
Post match, injured fullback Jamie Wrigley reflected on the game, the season and the forthcoming Papa John’s Community Cup campaign: “I thought we played well; we knew it would be a very tough game and so we prepared. I think we had chances to win but we were not as fluent in attack as we normally are and, especially in the first half, we had chances to score but did not take them. Northern defended very well and fair play to them, but they had the luck today. We wanted to win even though we won the league last week but that’s the league season done. Our goal in September was promotion and we have achieved it and in doing so have played some great rugby. The sad thing about today is that our record of a try bonus point in every game has gone but now it’s about the Cup. It has been a fantastic season, I have really enjoyed it, I’ve scored a few tries but the whole team has played really well, and it has been great to be a part of it”. Jamie went on to speak about his personal highlight of the season: “The home game against Durham back in February is my best moment of the league season. I think at the time they were third and flying and in the first half, we really struggled but got to half time ten or twelve points in front, but they scored early in the second half, and I wondered what the response would be. We simply clicked after they scored, and I think we scored forty or fifty points to win convincingly; I knew then that we could win the league and beat anybody on our day”. Looking ahead to the Papa John’s Community Cup Jamie continued: “We really enjoyed last year’s cup run and the final was a great day even though there was the disappointment of losing. This year we are in the Championship with a chance of playing at Twickenham in the final so yes, the boys are really up for it! We are in a tough group but at that level it is to be expected, all the teams will have been going well. We beat Birkenhead Park away last year and there is no doubt we can repeat that win and the way that we have played this year, I really think we can win it because, as I said earlier, on our day we can beat anyone at our level, and I hope I will be fit enough to be part of it”.
The Lions hosted Northern at Preston Avenue and came away with a very impressive win 40-17.
Next week Park do indeed embark their journey in the Papa John’s Community Cup playing this season in the Regional 2 Championship. Unlike last season’s Plate which was a straight knock-out competition, Park are grouped in the North Regional 2 Championship with Birkenhead Park from Regional 2 North West together with Selby and Old Brodleians, both from Regional 2 North East. Birkenhead Park have just won their league championship having won nineteen of twenty-two games played, finishing their campaign on Saturday with a 0-67 win at Vale of Lune. They are unbeaten at home and host Park next Saturday, KO at 3pm, which will be a huge test but, having won there in the Plate last year, Park should be confident. Selby have also won Regional 2 North East, having won seventeen of their twenty-two games and we host them on 20 April at Preston Avenue, KO 3pm. They completed their league campaign in style defeating Bridlington 69-10 at home on Saturday. We complete the group stage on 27 April when we travel to Halifax to take on Old Brodleians who finished third in Regional 2 North East, winning fourteen of their twenty-two games played. They also won handsomely on Saturday with a 50-17 home win against Glossop. Selby completed a league double over Old Brods this season, winning 15-20 away and 41-7 at home. Each of the four English regions have a Regional 2 Championship and the four winners will contest the semi-finals on 4 May with the final at Twickenham on 11 May.
All support at our Cup games would be very much appreciated.
Finally, after a truly memorable league season, a huge thank you to all the players and coaches who have made it so with their hard work and commitment and congratulations again on the title win and promotion. Park are worthy CHAMPIONS!
Percy Park: 15 Ross Young; 14 Howard Stock ©; 13 Ollie Bartles-Smith; 12 Will Ponton; 11 Seb Reece; 10 Fergus Simpson; 9 Andrew Walker; 8 James Black; 7 Jake Smith; 6 Jonny Dubois; 5 Chris Reekie; 4 Josh Hedley; 3 Matt Atkinson; 2 Dan Shuttleworth; 1 Sam Digman.
Replacements: Aaron Smith, Mikey Fisher, Paul Spowart
Sadly, there was no photographer at the game and those on our opponent’s website are subject to copyright and so I have used one from the game against Northern on the opening day of the season. Our thanks as always to Julie Hedley.