DARLINGTON MOWDEN PARK 13-46 ROSSLYN PARK
SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER
By RHYS STRATTON
A strong start saw the 1st XV open the scoring after 10 minutes when a Matt Gordon hard line off of a lineout just outside the hosts’ 22 resulted in the centre crashing over the gainline and popping the ball up to a trailing Ewan Fenley. Charlie Walker then doubled the lead as he snatched the ball out of the hands of the opposition following a nicely-weighted kick onto the edge of the 22 by Steffan James that allowed Walker to contest it. Late in the half, a Jack Digby yellow card for a high tackle allowed Josh Ree to get DMP on the scoreboard from the tee before a second penalty just the other side of half-time allowed Ree to add three more to their tally.
The 1st XV answered back with three points of their own, however, as James slotted a penalty himself just a few minutes later. James continued to make his mark on the game over the subsequent 10 minutes as he first pulled off a lovely delayed pass to Theo Manihera that allowed the centre to touch down and extend the lead. Then, he reacted fastest to a loose ball in midfield after a DMP knock-on, hacking the ball downfield and outracing everyone to gather it in and score under the posts.
The 1st XV continued to dominate the second half and crossed over twice more before DMP could respond. First, a penalty in opposition territory allowed the pack to set up a driving maul that resulted in Jasper Cameron dotting down before yet another maul in the final third was this time ground to a halt by the hosts. However, Josh Bragman spotted a gap down the blindside and called for the quick pass from Charlie Mulchrone which allowed him to cross over untouched.
DMP finally got their try late on as a lovely bit of hands out wide saw Oliver Walker and Shaun McCartney combine down the left-hand touchline. However, the 1st XV refused to end on a sour note after such a strong performance throughout the 80 minutes and quickly forced a DMP penalty following the restart. This provided the platform to set up a maul deep in the final third which Cameron duly steered over the line once more to pick up his second try and Park’s seventh on the day.
ROSSLYN PARK
Tries: Fenley (11’), Walker (21’), Manihera (50’), James (55’), Cameron (59’, 80’), Bragman (65’)
Conversions: James (21’, 55’, 59’), Smith (80’)
Penalties: James (46’)
Yellow Cards: Digby (39’)
Team: Cade, Miller, Charalambous, Bolwell, Martin, Wrafter, Ellis, Hosking, Fenley, James, Cordy-Redden, Gordon, Manihera, C. Walker, Smith
Replacements: Cameron, Wade, Digby, Mulchrone, Bragman
DARLINGTON MOWDEN PARK
Tries: McCartney (78’)
Conversions: Ree (78’)
Penalties: Ree (39’, 43’)
Yellow Cards: O. Walker (34’), Douglas (64’)
DMP: Barron, Fraine, Kyle-Clay, Peacock, Vaioleti, Craggs, Jones, Fantini, Douglas, Newton, McCartney, Groves, O. Walker, Trees, Ree
Replacements: Oliver, Harrison, Usher, Hall-Lyon, Read
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Birmingham Moseley 35 – 13 Blackheath
Bishop’s Stortford 20 – 39 Plymouth Albion
Dings Crusaders 36 – 44 Rams
Esher 17 – 52 Richmond
Leicester Lions 29 – 23 Sedgley Park
Sale FC 21 – 17 Rotherham Titans
Game week 4 saw Plymouth Albion, Rams and Richmond joined Park in picking up big bonus-point wins away from home as they emerged victorious from clashes with Bishop’s Stortford, Dings Crusaders and Esher respectively. Elsewhere, Moseley, Leicester and Sale all won at home with the latter handing newly-promoted Rotherham their first loss of the season.
Up Next for Park is a home stand against local rivals Esher who have yet to pick up a win so far this season.