Try time for Park

A match in which the lead changed hands six times ended with the visitors a point ahead thanks to a 70th minute penalty by Hull scrum half Isaac Green. Park out-scored Ionians by four tries to three, played some glorious running rugby in the backs but, struggling with injuries, were undone by their visitors’ superiority in the tight.

Green put Hull ahead on 4 minutes with a penalty. Park replied with a super try from scrum half Jack Gash three minutes later, following up a kick through, to take a 5-3 lead, only for Green to strike another penalty on 12 minutes to pinch back the lead at 6-3.


Henry Robinson bursts through to score Park’s second try

Three minutes later full-back Henry Robinson’s brilliant dummy saw him dash through to score, fly half Harry Leonard’s conversion giving Park a 12-6 advantage. 

However, if Park didn’t already have enough trouble in the treatment room, skipper and number 8 Hugo Ellis limped off to join the injury list.

On 26 minutes the Hull pack drove over, Falkingham claiming the try, Green converting in-off-the post, to snatch back the lead at 13-12.

On the stroke of half time Leonard grabbed a first half lead of 15-13 for Park with a well-struck penalty following a period of intense pressure.

A bright start to the second half saw full back Andrew Henderson increase the lead to 22-13 with another good effort, converted by Leonard for 22-13 after 50 minutes.

But Hull broke back, firstly on 55 minutes they drove back the home pack almost at will to close the gap then, four minutes later, winger Sam Wilson was not picked up by Park’s defence and cruised over. Both tries were converted by Green for a 27-22 lead for Hull.

Park were not winning enough ball for their attacking superiority to tell, but on 68 minutes centre Andy Reay delivered, Leonard converting to recover a slender 29-27 lead.

It proved not to be enough when Green’s penalty bisected the posts to win the match for Hull Ionians inside the last 10 minutes.

Rosslyn Park Forwards Coach, Kieran Power, said, “It was a disappointing result for us as a group as we let ourselves down in performing some of the basic skills and keeping control of our own possession.

“A  lot of credit has to go to Hull, who played a very spirited and territory-driven game which kept us pinned in our half on numerous occasions. Ultimately that, with our own ill discipline, enabled them to come away with a very important win for them in their relegation battle. 

“For us know we have to dust ourselves down and strip everything back before we travel to Blaydon, who are fighting for their lives - and if we don't buck up our ideas in certain areas of the game it could lead to another tough day at office”.

Park: Robinson; Crane, Henderson, Barnes, Kohler; Leonard; Gash; Nwakor, Vaughan-Edwards, Lovell; Inglis, Spivey; Frampton, Taggart, Ellis

Bench: Hughes, Wade, Hudson, Brand, Reay

Park scorers: Gash (T), Robinson (T), Henderson (T), Reay (T), Leonard (P, 3C).

Charlie Addiman

Images: David E Whittam

April 10, 2017