After the international break last weekend, and amid the dreadful news bulletins covering flooding and the Coronavirus, it was almost therapeutic to arrive at Preston Avenue on a pleasantly bright, if cold and breezy afternoon, for what was a vital North 1 East encounter between the hosts, fighting hard against relegation, and visitors, sitting atop the league and straining to gain promotion. York were fully aware that one of their rare defeats this season was inflicted by Percy Park in October.

Park’s kick off into the breeze saw York fail to gather and from the knock on, and with a secure scrummage, the home side spread the ball well although not really penetrating the York defence. Play was quite scrappy until Jonny Franks broke through for York, found Joe Maud in strong support and some excellent interplay ended with Cade Robinson crossing for a fine try close to the posts. Liam Hessay converted. (0-7).The restart took play into York’s 22 from where the visitors seemed determined to play out of defence, despite having the wind advantage. This really was a curious feature of York’s play in the first half. A penalty against Park for a high tackle saw the first of several York line out losses, and shortly afterwards a good York blind side move came to nought due a forward pass. Conditions were not easy but mistakes were dominating.

Park were robustly competitive and won a penalty when close to the York 22 metre area, the visitors being penalised for an indiscretion on the ground. No.10 Smith converted. (3-7).There followed one of the match highlights, with York driving in midfield, Forbes making the half break and managing to feed Robinson, thence through numerous hands, before sending Sam Elliot in at the corner. Hessay converted well. (3-14). From the restart, York struggled to clear their lines and were again penalised for an infringement on the ground. Park went for the corner and from the resultant line out, York prop Scholey was caught for not “rolling away” and was binned. No 6 Maud was sacrificed for the front row Coe, and Park took advantage of the lack of close cover with No.9 Meharg slipping through for an unconverted try. (8-14)

York were beginning to look shaky and were falling off first time tackles. Park, with their tails up were really scrapping for everything and it was not a surprise to see No.9 Meharg again pierce the York defence to scamper over for a good try, which Smith converted, to give the home side the lead. (15-14). York skipper, White, was now prominent and with driving runs began to regain the initiative, forcing Park back, so that they in turn, against the wind, had to try to play out of defence. Following a good “ball stripping” by Fox, it was fed quickly to Dan Coe who scampered over for an unconverted try. (15-19).York were now moving the ball with more precision but they still failed to penetrate the home defence, always seeming to turn inside into the waiting cover when an outside move may have paid off. An exchange of penalty awards for “not releasing” infringements saw Park fail to clear their lines and York, through Hessay, gain a valuable three points just prior to half time. (15-22).

The first 5 minutes of the second period was scrappy and not inspiring in the least. However the game sprang to life with a bulldozing break by Joe Maud, only to be stopped 5 metres short. Park were penalised, York kicked for the corner but lost the line out. At this point Luke Stockton replaced Oscar Bell who had battled tirelessly in the close quarter combat. Park cleared the immediate danger but again were penalised for dropping the maul. York kicked for the corner. In a repeat action, York also lost this line out but yet again Park were penalised. Finally, a good line out - properly set, and York drove over for Stockton to touch down for the bonus point try. Hessay converted. (15-29).

That should have been that, but York were not at their best and Park were not giving up, so the game entered a 15 minute period where the home supporters believed their team could get back on terms. Park really did pressure the York line but poor final passes, dropped passes, plus some good last ditch defending kept them at bay. With Park attacking strongly, York were penalised for an “on the ground” infringement. Park made good distance with the penalty and although a messy lineout ensued, York were again penalised for “not releasing” which enabled Park to go for the corner. York responded well and gradually play moved forward to the 22 metre line when York knocked on and gave away the initiative gained. Park finally broke through the York line and only desperate cover prevented a touchdown, but the melee saw Hessay injured and replaced by Elliot ( who had earlier been replaced by George Davies). York were then penalised at the scrum and Park, with apparent scrum dominance, opted for a reset but this time, as Park spread the ball, the carrier was held up and York got the scrum. It really was “helter skelter” and York were forced to touch down in goal and thus concede yet another 5 metre scrum.

The York support was anxiously watching the clock but gradually York edged out of their 22 metre area and led by Franks and Forbes they almost broke free into the Park half, only to infringe again and allow Park to tactically kick back into the York 22. Once more the home side’s passing let them down and allowed Sam Elliot to swoop onto a loose ball, and outpace the Park defence over 60 yards to score under the posts. Ben Dyson-Dent added the points. (15-36).

This was the final act of a very competitive match, one which the York coaches would be happy to get out of the way in their quest to gain promotion. Probably “ugly” would be an appropriate adjective, but a win, is a win, is a win! As they say in cricket…. Look in the scorebook tomorrow!