Percy Park prevailed in the Albi Duhrin and Moore Cup Boxing Day games at Rockcliff, but the Cardinal and Golds gave a good account of themselves in both matches.
Rockcliff Colts 29 Percy Park Colts 34
First up was the Colts game, with the two sides competing for the Albi Duhrin Cup. After a closely fought game between two well matched sides, Percy Park edged out Rockcliff by 34 points to 29 to regain the trophy, and to take 2 1 lead in all games played. The aggregate score after three Albi Duhrin games so far is 75 80 in Park’s favour, indicating how well matched these two Colts sides are.
On the day Rockcliff’s scores came through tries from Harry Drennan, Tom Rowel, Sam Owens, Dylan Dugdale, and Ashton Stewart. Tom Rowel added two conversions.
Rockcliff 36 Percy Park 62
In the Moore Cup match, it was another game of two halves for Rockcliff. An excellent first half showed what this developing young side is capable of, but, in the second half, Park scored six tries in a devastating twenty minute spell to ensure they retained the trophy for another year.
Captain Sam Train marked his return to the side after a three month absence with the opening try of the game, Aiden Lydall scored two, Idris Pritchard scored one and Rockcliff’s player of the match, Will Forster, scored a try, four conversions and a penalty.
For Percy Park, Chris Reekie scored a hat trick of tries, Paul Spowart touched down twice and Will Ponton, Sam Digman, Josh Bailey, Dan Jackson, and Archie Graham scored a try apiece. Paul Spowart and James Towell shared the kicking duties, scoring six conversions between them.
Rockcliff got off to a great start, and, after having a first try disallowed, they went 14 0 up in the first fifteen minutes through tries from Sam Train and Will Forster. Forster converted both. Within ten minutes, though, Park were level though tries from Digman and Spowarth, both converted by Spowarth.
Aiden Lydall edged Rockcliff back in front on thirty minutes, with Forster again adding the two points, but Park batttled back, putting pressure on the home defence. Rockcliff suffered a set back when number eight Connor Madden was knocked out whilst making a tackle, and, with the back row disrupted, Park took advantage, building an attack from a lineout from which Archie Graham scored. Spowarth’s conversion equalised the score again.
As the second half was drawing to a close, Forster slotted home a penalty from thirty five metres out, and the sides changed ends with Rockcliff leading by 24 points to 21.
First blood in the second half fell to Park, who had a converted try under their belt within three minutes of the re-start. Rockcliff responded with the try of the match, when Matty Brister broke through from midfield and chipped a great kick across to the left wing, which Aiden Lydall took over the line to score. Forster’s conversion restored Rockcliff’s three point lead.
But then came the devastating spell from Percy Park. They scored six unanswered tries, two of which were converted, to take the score up to an unassailable 62 31 in their favour. With less than ten minutes left on the clock Rockcliff didn’t give up, and, after another try scoring effort was disallowed, Idris Pritchard had the final say when he finished from close range in the left hand corner.
At the final whistle it was 62 36 in Percy Park’s favour.
Rockcliff Colts 29 Percy Park Colts 34
First up was the Colts game, with the two sides competing for the Albi Duhrin Cup. After a closely fought game between two well matched sides, Percy Park edged out Rockcliff by 34 points to 29 to regain the trophy, and to take 2 1 lead in all games played. The aggregate score after three Albi Duhrin games so far is 75 80 in Park’s favour, indicating how well matched these two Colts sides are.
On the day Rockcliff’s scores came through tries from Harry Drennan, Tom Rowel, Sam Owens, Dylan Dugdale, and Ashton Stewart. Tom Rowel added two conversions.
Rockcliff 36 Percy Park 62
In the Moore Cup match, it was another game of two halves for Rockcliff. An excellent first half showed what this developing young side is capable of, but, in the second half, Park scored six tries in a devastating twenty minute spell to ensure they retained the trophy for another year.
Captain Sam Train marked his return to the side after a three month absence with the opening try of the game, Aiden Lydall scored two, Idris Pritchard scored one and Rockcliff’s player of the match, Will Forster, scored a try, four conversions and a penalty.
For Percy Park, Chris Reekie scored a hat trick of tries, Paul Spowart touched down twice and Will Ponton, Sam Digman, Josh Bailey, Dan Jackson, and Archie Graham scored a try apiece. Paul Spowart and James Towell shared the kicking duties, scoring six conversions between them.
Rockcliff got off to a great start, and, after having a first try disallowed, they went 14 0 up in the first fifteen minutes through tries from Sam Train and Will Forster. Forster converted both. Within ten minutes, though, Park were level though tries from Digman and Spowarth, both converted by Spowarth.
Aiden Lydall edged Rockcliff back in front on thirty minutes, with Forster again adding the two points, but Park batttled back, putting pressure on the home defence. Rockcliff suffered a set back when number eight Connor Madden was knocked out whilst making a tackle, and, with the back row disrupted, Park took advantage, building an attack from a lineout from which Archie Graham scored. Spowarth’s conversion equalised the score again.
As the second half was drawing to a close, Forster slotted home a penalty from thirty five metres out, and the sides changed ends with Rockcliff leading by 24 points to 21.
First blood in the second half fell to Park, who had a converted try under their belt within three minutes of the re-start. Rockcliff responded with the try of the match, when Matty Brister broke through from midfield and chipped a great kick across to the left wing, which Aiden Lydall took over the line to score. Forster’s conversion restored Rockcliff’s three point lead.
But then came the devastating spell from Percy Park. They scored six unanswered tries, two of which were converted, to take the score up to an unassailable 62 31 in their favour. With less than ten minutes left on the clock Rockcliff didn’t give up, and, after another try scoring effort was disallowed, Idris Pritchard had the final say when he finished from close range in the left hand corner.
At the final whistle it was 62 36 in Percy Park’s favour.
