DMPRFC 30 v WEST HARTLEPOOL RFC 10

On the Friday night, things were looking pretty doubtful that the match would be played, as the rain that had been forecast poured down all day and waterlogged the pitch. However, an early pitch inspection revealed that our normally reliable pitch had stood up to the test and dried out sufficiently to allow the game to take place.

Both sides showed changes from their original selections and both were keen for the game to get underway, for different reasons.

West Hartlepool RFC were anxious to follow up last week’s decent result at home to Rochdale RFC with another win, in an attempt to try to escape from the wrong end of the table.

From a Park perspective, with not having the game last week, players needed the run out and the opportunity to turn the corner after some disappointing recent results, albeit, barring Cleckheaton, against sides in the higher echelons of the league.

Invariably, a local derby hinges on whoever wants the game more and that was always going to be the case in this encounter.

A shaky start from the kick-off, saw West Hartlepool open the scoring, but from the moment that one of their players was sin-binned a short while later, they were on the back foot and Park began to put together some points.

Ritchie Young levelled the scores from the resultant penalty and the ever improving pace of converted No. 8 Dan Squire, outstripped the opposition cover from the back of a scrum to go over unopposed from 20 yards.

There were some instances of forward interaction, with the flexing and the pushing and shoving, but after all, it’s a physical game.

The home points were added to with another decent run by winger Ben Seru, scoring a decent try after some good counter attacking by the Park back line. This time Ritchie Young kicked the conversion, to lead 15 – 3, but a momentary lapse, allowed West Hartlepool to kick to the corner and from the resultant catch and drive, their hooker peeled off and scored what was to be their only try, which was converted.

Some concentrated attacking on the West Hartlepool line forced a series of penalties being given away by the visitors and from one of those, referee Simon Lazenby deemed the infringement to have prevented a scoring opportunity and awarded a penalty try under the posts, which was easily converted by Ritchie Young.

At oranges, the score was 22 – 10 and on paper, West Hartlepool were still in the game.

However, another period of pressure from the Park backs saw Robin Eatough touchdown for a deserving try and although the conversion was missed, a later penalty was successful by the same player.

Although West Hartlepool tried to get into the game after oranges, the home backline were too strong, but Park failed to add any more tries, although can consider themselves unlucky to have had the ball over the line on two occasions, only for tries to be disallowed. In fact, on another occasion after a mazy run by winger Charlie Massarella, Robin Eatough was deliberately pulled back as he was about to receive a scoring pass and the West forward perpetrator escaped sanction, other than giving away a penalty.

So, on a day when whoever wanted it most was bound to prevail, it was Park who came out on top in that category, taking maximum points and a positive attitude to the next run of games, which predominantly see us on the road again.