DMPRFC 3 v SHEFFIELD TIGERS RFC 10

It was a very close affair before oranges with both sides trying to test each others defence, without any real success. Both sets of forwards battered each other both at scrum time and in the loose, but neither team really establishing superiority in either department.

The Sheffield pack contained some experienced campaigners, who, to be fair, at times did have the ascendancy at scrum time, but the lineout for the home team was functioning a little better than that of the opposition.

The first score gave Park some initial hope, when it came in the first minute of play, slotted easily by Ritchie YOUNG. This was cancelled out by the visiting full back and it stood at all square at oranges.

Inexplicably Park squandered the opportunity to go into the break with double their score, when a penalty in the identical place YOUNG was successful earlier was waived in preference to a kick to touch. But the resultant catch and drive petered out, mainly because one of Park’s primary lineout operatives was off the field seeking attention for a blood injury.

So the 3 – 3 score at oranges, just about summed up the contest.

Much of the same followed after oranges, with a little more success from Sheffield in the forays into the opposition half. Park just couldn’t seem to create anything and squandered many passages of possession by coughing up the ball in contact.

It was clear that the next score would win the game and so it proved, when on 75 minutes, Sheffield, on one of their catch and drives close to the Park line, resulted in a try which was converted.

All in all, Sheffield deserved the win and although Park showed that their defence was excellent on occasions, they will be disappointed that on the day they failed to create any scoring opportunities for the first time this season, the bonus point being scant consolation.