Sat 14 Dec 2019
As 2019 came to a rather wet end, it was left to the mighty 3rd team to proudly carry the club colours into the final battle of the year at Oxton Parkonians. To slightly misquote the famous line “Never have so many owed so much to so few”, just 14 gallant souls travelled following a last minute rush of drop outs. Special thanks to Bags, Rooney, Archie, Rhys, Snowy and Jordan for dropping down and Bergy for once again coming out of retirement.
The phrase “warm up” has never been taken so literally with a very wet boggy pitch and an arctic gale greeting us. Possibly the pitch wasn’t quite playable but credit to Oxton for a lot of hard work to get the game on.
Park started well, and slowly got their trusted game plan into action. New Captain “Warry” at 9 and Bergy at 10 directing traffic. Handling errors were always going to happen, fortunately the Park scrum clicked from the off and won the first two Oxton scrums against the head. Possibly Rooney had a bit of anger and fire in his belly following his little chat with an officer of the law en-route!
It was from a Park scrum in the Oxton 22 that Jordan France picked up and ran hard at the blindside, carrying two men over to stretch and score his first try for the club.
Oxton came back, through their big forwards, but it was Park who scored again next. Quick ball shifted through cold hands with skills belying the conditions to find Ryan Snow in space on the 22 to dart round the last man and dot down under the posts.
From the resulting kick off Park scored again, France catching the kick off and accelerating through the boggy heart of the pitch. What followed was a brutal display of pace and power as he raced clear to score a stunning solo try.
Minutes later Park scored again, good hands releasing Archie Sanchez on the wing. Receiving the ball on half way, he skipped across the top of the mud to scorch away and score.
Oxton to their credit didn’t give up and fought back hard scoring the next two tries, through good work by their powerful back row and centre. Half time 22-12 to Park.
The second half started off as the first ended with a resurgent Oxton pressing the Park 22. Park stood firm with resolute committed defence. Epitomised by Gareth Lewis leaving the field with a huge gash to his cheekbone. Patched up and looking like Darth Vader at the end of Return of The Jedi, he could not be kept off the field and carried on putting in hit after hit, all in his own committed style modelled on Japanese WWII pilots!!!
Finally the pressure tolled, but it was Park who scored. Rick Shaw accelerating on to quick ball and rolling back the years to glide through the Oxton defence and score from deep. Soon followed another, Gareth Lewis finishing off good forward play and getting reward for his tenacious efforts.
Finally Oxton’s spirit was broken, allowing the only Park player in a clean shirt, Rhys Williams, to race clear from his own half and touchdown.
There was still time for the icing on the cake, several phases of play saw the ball switched back across the field through quick hands to find Clint (yes you have read it right, Clinton!!) in space to crash over. With light failing and tired cold bodies everywhere the ref and captains shook hands. 44-12 to Park.
My first game as captain, a great result but an even better team spirit. Thanks Lads
So just leaves me to say we sit top of the league , 5 points clear going into the holidays, Christmas Number 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MoM Barry Collins. Carried all day, if it moved he tacked it and handling skills born out of harvesting wet potatoes from heavy ground
DoD Rooney, sadly the author cannot comment further for legal reasons
Tony / “Warry”
