The Flying Foxes won the Plate competition at this years County Championships after playing four games of rugby and ending the day unbeaten and without conceding any points. A squad of 20 players entered the competition hosted by Novocastrians and four of these players unselfishly teamed up with players from other clubs to form a Babarians team.
Match reports follow:
Pool games:
Percy Park 0, Tynedale 0.
In a close, competitive match both sides asked questions of each other and came up with the answers.
From the opening kick off Park had to defend deep inside their own territory but were in no mood to be bypassed. A glimmer of opportunity happened when Two Tags got the ball in space but his progress was stopped and Tynedale soon went back on the offensive.The siege was lifted by a huge punt down field by full back Adam and it became Park's turn to enjoy considerable territorial advantage.
Park were back defending again from the start of the second half and again each player made sure nobody wearing blue and white stripped hoops got passed them or if they did then they were hanging onto them. As they had done during the first half, two well drilled defences nullified every attacking opportunity and a draw was a fair result.
Percy Park 38, Barbarians 0.
Park took some time to warm up before running the maximum six tries allowed against a Barbarians team containing four of their squad. Four of the tries were converted and as Tynedale had converted all six of theirs they progressed into the Cup competition and the Flying Foxes progressed into the Plate.
Plate Semi Final:
Percy Park 14, Blyth 0.
Once they established control of the game Park never looked like relinquishing their grip on the Plate Semi Final.
During a bruising start against a very physical and competitive Blyth team, two of the smallest players on the pitch, Jack and Ross, demonstrated their running ability with sorties into opposition territory. Ross was then one of two Park players to get flattened during the running skirmishes, along with full back Adam. Both though, quickly recovered and returned to the fray.
Park's pressure told when Joe crashed over in the right hand corner, close to where his family were standing on the touchline. Niall confidently kicked the extra points to put Park 7-0 ahead.
After gaining possession mid way inside their own half, Park then sent the ball along the line to Two Tags who raced away for the second try after outflanking the defence along the left flank. Niall's right boot then sent the ball through the posts to increase the lead.
From the second half kick off Park established a position high up the field but couldn't breach the determined and brave Blyth defence.
The black and green stripes had their moments of attacking possibility but each time Park quickly closed the door on them and at the final whistle were well worth their win.
Plate Final:
Percy Park 19, Ponteland 0.
There was only going to be one winner of the Plate Final as Park dominated from the opening kick off when a Ponteland player was forced to touch down behind his own try line. Niall and Alex threatened with solo attacks down the middle and right flank respectively before the latter, spinning out of the tackles, crossed for the first try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful and when play restarted, Park were quickly on the offensive again, with Two Tags making another elusive break during which he ran approximately half the lengh of the pitch before being tackled.
Given a second opportunity shortly afterwards, Two Tags was showing everyone a muddy pair of heels as he sped off down the middle to make the score 10-0 in Park's favour. Unflustered by his earlier miss, Niall kicked the conversion.
Park made changes after the break and one of the substitutes Eoghan, playing at scrum half, quickly made an impression with his persistent harassment of his opposite number, who after the first, albeit premature, hit panicked everytime he took the ball out of the back of the scrum.
Although they couldn't add more points Park were comfortable winners, although Ponteland should be commended for playing hard until the final whistle.
