Old Elthamians were first out of the blocks when a quick tap penalty saw scrum half Sam Egerton catch out the Park defence, fly half White converting for 7-0 on 6 minutes.

Park came back seven minutes later with a fine try wide up the left wing by Ollie Hassell-Collins, Harry Leonard’s conversion attempt hit the post.

A good spell for the home side saw two tries in eleven minutes as wingers Renford Bennett and Dom Lespierre score up either wing to take a 17-5 lead on 26 minutes.


Henry Robinson score for Park

Park came roaring back and dominated possession and territory for the remainder of the half.

On 30 minutes, following a scrum, Park full-back Henry Robinson got over for a super try. Six minutes later winger Rhys Crane sprinted in up the right to score. Leonard converted both, the second a real peach of a kick from the touchline, to send Park into the break with a lead of 19-17.

Elthamians regained the lead by a single point after only two minutes of the second half, fly half Joe Carlisle nailing a penalty.

That lasted only eleven minutes until a massive forward drive to the line by Park up the left flank. With defenders committed, the ball was quickly whipped across to the right for Robinson to go in for his second try, a 24-20 lead and the 4-try bonus point.

OEs replied with an easy try. A kick-on up the right found no defender at home and Lespierre cruised in for his second, Carlisle converting for a home lead on 27-24.

Park still had every chance entering the last ten minutes. They were undone by a couple of decisions that looked more than a tad harsh. A scrum was awarded to Park but, on the intervention of a touch judge, the referee awarded a penalty to the home side and sent Park lock Matt MacPherson to the sin bin. The penalty was hoofed to touch for the catch and drive and on the first surge a Penalty Try was awarded. A further yellow card left Park ten points adrift with eight minutes to go and two men short.

Park gamely tried to come back and won a penalty in front of the posts with the clock running down. Leonard knew that there was no time for two scores and so chipped it between the posts for the score that at least made certain of a second bonus point.

Park Head Coach Kieran Power said, “We competed very well for huge amounts of the game and some of our attacking structure was the best of the season so far, unfortunately going down to 13 men for the last 10 mins of the game because of yellow cards cost us the game.

“We did, though, show great character to be able to go from our own line with 13 men to get up into their 22 and force a penalty to get 2 losing bonus points out of the game”.

Park: Robinson; Crane, Jenkins, Barnes, Hassell-Collins; Leonard; Gash; Nwakor, Hughes, Lovell; MacPherson, Spivey; Taggart, Hudson, Spencer.
Bench: Vaughan-Edwards, McGrath, Thomas, Brand, Henderson
Park scorers: Hassell-Collins (2T), Hudson (T), Jenkins (T), Leonard (2C), Penalty Try

This coming Saturday Park face a really tough test when promotion-chasing Plymouth Albion visit the Rock for a 3:00PM kick off

Charlie Addiman

Images: David E Whittam

October 30, 2017