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In terms of skills and excitement this match was an absolute credit to the standards in National 1. Both sides strove to play fast open rugby and by and large succeeded to the delight of the crowd.


Lineout battle

Stortford opened up with clear intent but were rocked back with a sublime try, started by a superb run out of defence by Park flanker Arthur Ellis, then some swift handling through the backs released winger Benji Marfo to dive in at the corner after only three minutes. Fly-half Harry Leonard’s touchline conversion attempt missed by millimetres.

The visitors came back at Park but could not find a way past a defence, well marshalled by Jordan Turner-Hall, that put in some thumping tackles.

Park looked the more dangerous with their rapier attacks, but it was the good old-fashioned bludgeon that increased their lead. A panic clearance from Stortford under pressure failed to clear the 22 and from the throw the home pack drove to the line only to be stopped illegally. The penalty try was awarded for 12-0 on 19 minutes.

Five minutes later and another smart move saw Ollie Grove – pressed into service as scrum half and clearly enjoying every minute of it – dot down, converted by Leonard for 19-0.

Leonard was on target again on 28 minutes to make it 22-0 when the visitors were forced to concede a penalty.

With five minutes to the interval Stortford finally found a way past what had looked a thoroughly impregnable home defence, setting up a concerted attack for full-back Tom Walker to pop up and get over from close range wide on the left. Fly half George Cullen narrowly missed a touchline conversion to leave the score at 22-5.

Bishops Stortford really upped their game at the start of the second half and were soon rewarded when right winger Jimmy Rea got over in the corner on 45 minutes, Cullen nailing a difficult conversion for 22-12.

Park were soon back and looking for the try that would bring a bonus point, but sensibly opted to kick for the points when forcing a penalty on 48 minutes, Leonard increasing the lead to 25-12.

Play was now fairly even as two good sides went hammer-and-tongs at each other. It was the visitors who got the breakthrough, setting up a drive which Park stopped at the cost of flanker Jack Barnard being sent to the sin bin. Stortford opted for a scrum against Park’s reduced numbers and centre Sam Winter touched down for 25-17 with 20 minutes remaining.

Stortford tried to press home their advantage, but it was Park who very nearly scored with a lightning break out of defence up the right by replacement winger Bam Bam Fadahunsi, who kicked ahead to the in-goal area and looked like winning the sprint to the ball until it bounced kindly for the defender.

Overall Park deserved their win but it is difficult not to sympathise with Bishops Stortford who gave so much to a thrilling game of rugby and had to go home without a single point.

Park: Robinson; Edwards, Nieto, Turner-Hall, Marfo; Leonard; Grove; Nwakor, Hughes, Lovell; Frampton, Gillanders; Barnard, A Ellis, H Ellis.

Bench: Vaughan-Edwards, Doran-Jones, Gray, Booth, Fadahunsi

Park scorers: Marfo (T), Grove (T), Leonard (2P, C), Penalty Try

Next Saturday Park travel to Yorkshire to play Rotherham Titans, who were relegated from the Championship last season after 20 years in the top two divisions. They have reverted to part-time rugby for financial reasons and in their first match of the season – against title-challengers Old Elthamians – fielded only one player from their Championship side. That match ended in a 33-34 defeat but as the new-look Titans team were 34-19 down at one stage it would suggest that when they began to gel they more than matched one of the top sides in the league.

Last week they played away to title favourites Darlington Mowden Park, losing by 42-19, a fate that may befall many other sides before the end of the season. Titans held Mowden, but when they lost their scrum half to a yellow card the floodgates opened. On their own ground, shared with the local cricket club, they will be formidable opposition.

Charlie Addiman

Images: David Whittam

September 9, 2018