National 1

Park started well with a series of pick and drives at the solid home defence. However, an early Esher foray into Park territory saw them gain a penalty for Roberts to grab a 3-0 lead.

Play was evenly balanced, but a speculative cross-kick by Esher was mis-fielded in the in-goal area and winger Karym Irving immediately pounced on the ball for 8-0 on 14 minutes.

Fly half Harry Leonard settled for the 3 points from a penalty when a promising attack was stopped illegally on 18 minutes for 8-3.


Harry Leonard dives to score for Park

But almost as soon as play restarted, Park launched another promising attack up the left. The ball was dropped, Irving gathered it and sprinted away for his second try, converted by Roberts for 15-3.

Almost on the stroke of half-time Park were penalized for a high tackle and Roberts stepped up to make it 18-3 at the interval.

Park came out really determined in the second half. Esher defended superbly, but could not stop scrum half Will Crow from getting over after a series of penalties kicked to the corner, and a yellow card for the home defence.

Just as it looked as if Park might pull their irons from the fire, they gifted Esher another try. Irving broke up the right and before he could be tackled put in a simple grubber kick and fellow winger Sutherland was faster than the Park defence to score, giving Roberts a straightforward conversion for 25-10 on 68 minutes.

Park tried again to come back, and there was a glimmer of hope when Leonard got over the line with six minutes remaining, converting his own effort for 25-17.

Park on the attack

However, Esher had the final say when they again broke through the Park lines for Lowe to score for the 4-try bonus with three minutes remaining. Roberts converted for 32-17.

Park Head Coach, Kieran Power, said, “We started slowly and allowed them to score two tries through individual mistakes and then we were always chasing the game. We fared better in the second half by controlling territory and the majority of possession, but exhausted all of our energy chasing the scoreboard.

“When Esher had the opportunity they took their chances well and were able to take the game away from us in the latter stages of the game”.

Park: Robinson; Hassell-Collins, Henderson, Barnes, Weir; Leonard; Crow; Nwakor, Gibson, Wade; Spivey, Frampton; Ovens, Hudson, Spencer.
Bench: Vaughan-Edwards, Higgins, MacPherson, Hutson, Dudman-Jones
Park scorers: Leonard (T, P, 2C) Crow (T)

Next Saturday Park face in-form Bishops Stortford at the Rock, kicking off at 3:00PM.

Charlie Addiman

Images: Marian Parker

September 18, 2017