Charlie Amesbury and Hugo Ellis finished two mauls for the home side between Markus Burcham’s first-half score. Park even held off Club with a man down to secure the win, leap-frogging their opponents in the National League One table.
It was Park who got off to the best start, Greg Lound kicking a penalty after six minutes.

And the home side had their first try two minutes later, Amesbury finishing the drive from the 10m line. But Club responded immediately, scrum-half Steff Leibenburg finding a gap in the defence on 14 minutes.


Blackheath tackle

It was a case of déjà vu four minutes later, though, as Ellis scored his second try in two games. Lound scored another penalty on 35 minutes beneath the posts, giving Park an 11-point lead at half-time. And they started the second half brilliantly, Gash finishing an attack started by substitute Peter Weightman four minutes in.

Park suffered a setback when Paul Doran-Jones was sin-binned on 50 minutes for obstructing a quick penalty by the visitors. And they took advantage four minutes later, Craig Dowsett running in with acres of space on the left from driving play. A comeback was nearly on when top-scorer Jake Lloyd finished off a slick Club move from the line-out with 14 minutes to go.
Kieran Power’s side did not lose their lead, though, edging further ahead on 70 minutes through Lound’s third penalty. Victory was beyond Club but Tarrant’s last-minute penalty secured a losing bonus point.


Park’s first try by Charlie Amesbury

Park head to the West Midlands next week to face Moseley, their first fixture of February. The relegation battlers scored a late penalty to salvage a 17-17 against Darlington Mowden Park at the Northern Echo arena. It was a thrilling encounter between these teams at The Rock last October, with Park’s famous maul securing a 27-22 win in the dying seconds.

Rosslyn Park
Tries: Amesbury 8, Ellis H 18, Gash 44
Conversions: Lound 10, 45
Penalties: Lound 6, 35, 70
Sin-bins: Doran-Jones 52
Team (15-9/1-8): Russell Weir; Bam Fadahunsi, Oli Grove (Peter Weightman 36), Harry Leonard, Charlie Amesbury; Greg Lound, Jack Gash; Paul Doran-Jones (MacFarlane 62), Karl Gibson (Owen Hughes 64), Stewart Maguire (Nick Lovell 56); Henry Spencer (Hugh Tizard 61), Gregor Gillanders; Mike MacFarlane (Mo Nwakor 52), Arthur Ellis, Hugo Ellis ©

Attendance: 900
Referee: Fergus Kirby




Warren Muggleton

Images: David Whittam

January 27, 2019