Sat 25 Feb 2023
WPRFC v Glossop
25th February 2023 – 5 try bonus point win for Park at home
WPRFC 32 – 20 Glossop
This week Park welcomed Glossop at Stade de Burrows Hill for the cancelled return fixture from December and Park wanted to avenge the narrow defeat away from home back in September. With Glossop in 8th place in the league and Park one below, a win would see Park move up to 8th position. The conditions were fine and dry and the pitch was in good condition with Park looking to maintain their recent winning run. A slightly changed team took to the field due to unavailability and also a debut for Nkole Chilufya on the wing who only joined the club in the week leading up to the game.
Park started the game and were immediately causing Glossop problems with really strong carries and breaking the gain line in every phase and were rewarded with a penalty 30m out in the second minute of the game which Cameron Flanagan converted to points to open up the account for the day (3-0). Glossop found their feet and attacked Park and were reward with a penalty on the Park 22 for Park not rolling away in the ruck and kicked the penalty to level the score (3-3). On 9 minutes Glossop had another kick at goal following an offside penalty by Park but unfortunately hit the post and Park cleared their lines. On 19 minutes Park showed their power from a scrum just outside our 22 with a great carry from flanker Evan Boucher who took the down the wing to just outside the 22 and offloading to Shaun Underdown who took the ball into the 22 and then another powerful carry by Justin Oles took the ball deep into the Glossop 22 then with quick precise hands through the backs Chris Twigg scored a great try in the corner which was unconverted (8-3). Park were dominating the game at this point and a clearance kick by Glossop was taken by debutant Nkole Chilufya who set off from our 40 metre line and stepped through the defence and took the ball into the 22 before being brought to the ground but the ball was quickly recycled to Dave Cross who powered through the defensive line but was tackled 10 metres out. Again the ball was quickly recycled through the back line and Alex Burrage was tackled just short of the line but Evan Boucher quickly saw an opportunity and picked up at the base of ruck and dived over to score our second try which was unconverted (13-3). The final score of the half went to debutant Nkole Chilufya when Park had a scrum in the Glossop 22 and the ball was out to Nkole Chilufya following both centres running dummy lines and Nkole Chilufya stepped through the defensive to score a converted try on his debut (20-3).
Half time score 20 - 3
The first quarter of the second half was a different story with Glossop getting out of the blocks early and really testing Park with good possession and territory and with a scrum in the Park 22 on 44 minutes they attacked our line and got their first try through a couple of missed tackles (20-10). On 52 minutes Glossop struck again to close the gap on the scoreboard with a another converted try following some poor defence out wide which allowed the winger to score in the corner (20-17). It was now a 3 point game and on 58 minutes indiscipline by Park gave Glossop the opportunity to level the score from the boot (20-20). With Glossop in the ascendency Park really needed to up their game and they did respond to this with dominance in all areas of the game and on 69 minutes Gary Dykes powered over from short range to score our fourth (bonus point) try which was converted by Cameron Flanagan (27-20). Park were really gaining momentum and were making ground on every phase of play and Glossop were now finding difficult to match up defensively and this allowed Park to finish the game off with an unconverted try on 75 minutes following a quick dart from the base of the ruck by Cameron Flanagan, who offloaded to Ross Morrin who powered into the 22 and offloaded to Justin Oles who crashed through the defensive line to score the final try of the game (32-20).
This was a 5 try bonus point win in which Park dominated large parts of the game and produced some solid individual performances and moves us up into 8th place in the league but we also allowed Glossop right back into the game in the first quarter of the second half so definitely room for improvement for next week away at Douglas IoM.
Final score WPRFC 32 – 20 Glossop
Team: Chris Twigg, Nkole Chilufya, Alex Burrage, Will Morrillo, Liam Geary, Cameron Flanagan, James Johnson (Captain), Tom King, Justin Oles, Shaun Underdown, Ben Cann, Dave Cross, Gary Dykes, Evan Boucher, Jack England, Ross Morrin, Jake Cornwell and Gregor Purves
