Sat 4 Jan 2020
After a long rest Park were keen to start the New Year with positive result and started well within two minutes were on the score board with a delightful kick through by Jack Williams who returns after fracturing his arm at the beginning of the season. The kick was collected by Chris Twigg who drove through two tackles before off loading to Cam Flanagan to score. The conversion was missed.
De La Salle came back and were awarded a penalty after a Park player failed to roll away in a tackle. The kick was converted.
A short time after Park kicked a penalty after a visiting player failed to roll away in a tackle.
Park continued to drive forward and after sustained pressure were awarded a penalty 10 metres from the visitors try line. They opted for a scrum drove for the line popped the ball out to scrum half Matt Cross to score the second try. The kick was converted.
Park continued the pressure and again were awarded a penalty going forward for a high tackle which was converted.
De La Salle composed themselves and came back at Park and were awarded a penalty for playing the ball the ground 15 metres from the Park line and after several phases they went over to score just before half time but missed the conversion.
The first half ended 18 to 8 and the home crowd were hoping for the win.
Within minutes the visitors were back on the score sheet with a well executed move with a kick through which was collected passed out and scored under the post. The kick was converted.
Coach Farr made changes tacking off Alex Burrage for Sam Houghton.
The visitors continued to take the game to Park converting a further penalty after Park were judged to be offside making it 18 all.
Park composed themselves and took control for short spell which resulted in Gary Dykes going over for try three and the kick was converted.
Captain Dave Cross came off after sustaining a ankle injury to be replaced by Ryan Snow.
Park could not keep the visitors out and scored their third try after a penalty they kicked into the corner for a line out won the ball passed out and scored under the post. The kick was converted with minutes to go with the score 25 to 25.
The heart ache was to come for the home crowd with seconds on the clock the visitors kicked a drop go to win 25 to 28.
On the whole a disappointing day for the coaching staff and supporters.
Coach Farr said ," We are playing some great rugby but we are not consistent and its so disappointing when we go ahead and drop the game plan making silly mistakes and wrong game decisions on the pitch. This should have been a comfortable win after we had done the hard work in the first half.This is a tough league and we have been to complacent loosing four games recently in the last few minutes of the game and the lads need to focus for the full 80 minutes"
Park are away to Eccles next week and hope to get into winning ways.
Team:
Mike Eaves,Andrew Evans, Shaun Underdown, Matt Treacy, Dan Williams ,Dave Cross (Captain),Gary Dykes,Joe Cook, Sam Brookes, Cameron Flanagan, Alex Burrage, ,Matt Cross ,Chris Twigg,Jimmy Moran,and Jack Williams.
Replacements:Ryan Snow,Ben Critchley and Sam Houghton
