Saturday 28th April 2012

Blackheath  24  Rosslyn Park  10
There was a distinct end-of-season feel about this match, played on a drab, wet and windy afternoon in front of a large crowd at the Rectory Field. If the match stats show that Park had a slight edge in both possession and territory, then that does scant justice to Blackheath, who enjoyed a distinctive edge in the rather important areas of taking chances and defending safely.

Park opened with a good attack, rather harshly penalised for not releasing and enjoyed an early period of dominance. However when the home side eventually settled to launch an attack the Park defence conspired to concede the simplest of tries, allowing centre Richard Windsor to ghost through the middle, more or less unmolested, to give fly half Sam Windsor an easy conversion for 7-0.

Park continued to have at least as much of the play as Blackheath, and looked marginally the better side in midfield, but they were unable to really trouble a sound defence. Probably the best chance Park engineered was a great attack up the left by Nev Edwards, which was unfortunately ended with a penalty the other way.

A dank afternoon was brought alive with a truly magnificent try. Park launched a good attack up the left, but when possession was turned over ‘Club’ winger James Stephenson broke quickly and soon had players in support. The ball was passed through several hands at high speed diagonally across the field for hooker Gavin O’Meara to score in the opposite corner on 28 minutes. A defensive coach might well ask his charges, “So how come none of you could get back to defend quicker than their hooker could run the length of the field?” For spectators it was simply a great try.

With the wind in their sails, almost literally on a gusty afternoon, only 3 minutes later Blackheath attacked up the right and a pass inside saw Sam Windsor in space and he had only to dive over for a try he converted himself for 19-0 on 31 minutes. Easy pickings.

The game was put beyond Park five minutes later when, as Paul Unseld tried to break up the left, the referee stooped play and showed Park hooker Dan Richmond the red card following a ruck, apparently for stamping. Your reporter, following the ball, did not see the incident, and the player deserves to be able to put his side of the story before being condemned out of hand. But, prima facie, if the referee was right then it is, to put it mildly, not a helpful example from an experienced player who doubles as Forwards Coach.

At the next breakdown Park were forced to withdraw Harry Rowland in order to bring on substitute hooker Ben Gotting to ensure front row safety.

It looked as if things could get no worse for Park as they began the second half with 14 men. Wrong. After only 2 minutes Gotting managed to get himself yellow-carded thus reducing numbers to 13. To lose two hookers in about 10 minutes playing time looks a tad more than careless.

If the wound was self-inflicted then Park at least responded with some really dogged backs-to-the wall defence to deny Blackheath a score during Gotting’s enforced rest. Ironically, almost immediately Park were restored to 14, home winger Tom Chapman popped up the right wing for a simple try and at 24-0 it all looked done and  dusted.

With only pride to play for, Park at least showed they had plenty of it. Ross Laidlaw kicked a simple penalty on 65 minutes to belatedly put his team on the scoreboard and then, eight minutes later, Mike Baxter (on for Paul Unseld) finished off a move to put his team within range of a bonus point after their earlier travails.

They set about their task with relish, and as full-time beckoned it looked as if they had cracked it when a good move launched John Rudd on a powerful run through the middle. With the line between the posts at his mercy, to his absolute horror, the winger lost control of the ball and dropped it forwards. It just about summed up his side’s afternoon.
Park: Edwards; Unseld (Baxter), Parsons, Gower, Rudd; Laidlaw; Barr; Marfo, Richmond, Graham; Anderson, Lloyd-Jones; Rowland (Gotting / Barratt), Campbell, McKeen.
Subs not used: Lewis, Shabbo
Park scorers: Baxter (T), Laidlaw (P, C)

Saturday 14th April

Rosslyn Park 34 Birmingham & Solihull 19

This match had a real “end of season” feel, as one might expect of the last home match of the season, with a team in a comfortable position playing one already relegated. But it was sprinkled with enough good play – particularly by Park in the first period, and a dramatic come back by the ‘Bees’ at the end – to keep the crowd entertained. With Ross Laidlaw unavailable, England U-19 fly half, Will Robinson, took over the 10 shirt and stamped his presence on proceedings with skill and vision beyond his years.

Park attacked from the off and soon had a penalty, which Robinson converted for a 3-0 lead. Some good rugby saw the home side enjoy a near monopoly of the early attacking play, and they went further ahead on 7 minutes when a Robinson pass triggered a super attack through the middle which was finished off by Steve Parsons, coming in off his wing to power over close to the posts. Robinson converted for 10-0.

The fly half added a further penalty to stretch the lead to 13-0 and the Bees were on the rack. However, the visitors showed how dangerous they could be if given half a chance when, on 20 minutes, a powerful John Rudd run through the middle ended with Park losing the ball in contact, and lock David Markham broke away to score. Scrum half Mark Woodrow converted and, for all Park’s dominance, they were pegged back to 13-7.

A superb piece of play by Robinson failed to get the reward it deserved when he made a splendid run through the centre and put in a deft chip that he narrowly failed to gather as it dropped over the line. It would have been the individual try of the season. The fly half was soon on duty at the other end, where his long kick out of defence brought about the situation from which a further penalty saw him extend the lead to 16-7 on 30 minutes.

Birmingham had their first really concentrated period of pressure, but Park defended well and a great run out of defence by Nev Edwards only ended when he tripped at full speed, but he still had the skill and presence of mind to still present the ball to his back row, who were in hot pursuit. There was no escape for the Bees as Park passed the ball around to probe for a gap and eventually a great long pass from Charlie Gower found Edwards in space wide on the left and he was in for 21-7.

There was just time for a great run from Stan McKeen, but when it failed to bear fruit the half-time whistle blew.

Park started the second half as they had finished the first, with a great run up the left by Edwards almost reaching the line. The home side did not have to wait long, setting up a move that saw Rudd score in the right corner for 26-7 on 43 minutes.

With a 19 point cushion, Park’s attention shifted to the bonus point a further try would bring. Robinson banged a kickable penalty to touch, but Park were unable to capitalise until, just as it looked as if the Bees would counter-attack, Joe Trayfoot broke away on the interception to bring the bonus point at 31-7 on 56 minutes.

Birmingham looked anything but relegation fodder as they made a brave attempt to get back into the match. They found that with the departure of Laurence Ovens the home scrum looked far from secure, and tried to apply pressure. They won a penalty in front of the posts, but had to go for a try if they were to salvage anything. Eventually it was England 7s star Simon Hunt, playing full back for the Bees, who returned to haunt his old club with a superb individual try through the middle from just inside the Park half. Normally one would criticise defenders in this situation, but such was the speed and power of the run that in all probability Hadrian’s Wall would not have stopped it. Sometimes you just have to say, “Too good”.

Suddenly Birmingham believed, and they proved to be quite a handful. Straight back onto the attack, only smart awareness and a bear hug from Rudd prevented a try up the visitors’ left flank, but they were not to be so easily denied. They recycled and put immediate pressure on the Park line and, finding all avenues barred, Markham simply jumped over the pile of players to score, Woodrow’s conversion making it 31-19 with 10 minutes remaining.

Back came the Bees, and this time it was Sam Edgerley who made the crucial tackle. Birmingham won, and ran, a penalty but knocked-on. If they never actually looked like winning, they were certainly going to leave National One with their heads held high if they could not quite manage the two-fingered salute.

Eventually normal service was restored as Park broke away, forced a penalty and Robinson capped a fine personal performance by kicking Park to complete safety at 34-19. One pleasant thing for Park supporters to contemplate over summer: if he can keep this lad out of the 10 jersey, how good must Ross Laidlaw be?
Park: Edwards; Parsons, Gower (Edgerley), Baxter, Rudd; Robinson; Barr; Ovens (Marfo), Richmond (Gotting), Ward; Lloyd-Jones (Rowland), Anderson; McKeen, Campbell (Barrett), Trayfoot.
Park scorers: Parsons (T), Edwards (T), Rudd (T), Trayfoot (T), Robinson (4P, C)

Saturday 31st March 2012

Sedgley Park  30  Rosslyn Park  29

Rosslyn Park very nearly came back to win this match at the death, but any hard luck stories need to be tempered with the fact that it was they who disadvantaged themselves in the first place with some distinctly poor defending. Even their most blindly loyal fans could not describe Sedgley Park Tigers as any better than ordinary at this level but, for whatever reason, Rosslyn Park again looked a shadow of the side who stormed to the top of the League at the turn of the year.

The visitors got in trouble from the start, dropping Tigers’ long kick-off to concede a scrum near their own line. They successfully defended that and worked the ball out of danger only to concede a penalty on their 10 metre line after 5 minutes. Home centre Matt Riley gratefully accepted the chance to put his side 3-0 ahead.

Home celebrations were short lived as play returned to their 22 and combative centre Luke Campbell created himself a fine try out of nothing, scampering a path to the posts which only he saw and using his strength to launch himself over. Ross Laidlaw converted for 3-7.

Rosslyn Park were, however, in generous mood and soon conceded a further penalty for Riley to make it 6-7.

That was the spur for a renewed period of dominance by the visitors. A good attack saw full back Nev Edwards pass wide to John Rudd but it did not stick. Campbell produced some more fine work to claim possession from a Tigers’ defensive scrum; a kick to the in-goal area saw the defender get there first, but eventually attacking endeavours brought a penalty for Laidlaw to stretch the lead to 6-10 on 12 minutes.

Rosslyn Park were now in more or less total command in terms of both possession and territory, the ball rarely leaving the Tigers’ half, but there was simply no real penetration. Rudd had several noble attempts to bludgeon his way through, while Paul Unseld – making a rare appearance on the other wing – did not receive a pass that would allow him to exploit his pace before he was substituted early in the second half. Too often possession was kicked away before it reached his wing. For all Rosslyn Park’s often excellent approach work, they simply could not make those few final metres to the line. To be absolutely fair they were not helped at all by a referee who seemed totally oblivious to players infringing from an offside position. But it seemed that an awful lot of attacking endeavour was being expended without troubling the scoreboard operator.

As so often happens in these circumstances, Park were caught unawares when Sedgley Park counter-attacked up their right and centre Fergus Owen was able to go behind the posts all but unchallenged, Riley adding the extras for a 13-10 lead, completely against the run of play.

If that was, to a degree, unlucky then there can be no such excuse for the defensive shambles that almost immediately followed, allowing the Tigers to run in again through missed tackles and absent tacklers, Riley this time bagging the try and converting it for a quite remarkable turn-around at 20-10 on 32 minutes, at least 25 of which they had spent defending.

That score remained to the interval, but the match was still eminently winnable from a Rosslyn Park point of view when they kicked off the second half. An early penalty gave the chance to reduce arrears, but Laidlaw unaccountably missed one he would expect to make nine times out of ten. Sedgley Park embarked upon an excursion into visiting territory and when scrum half Simon Parrott received the ball there looked to be no real danger. But, simply, no one laid a hand on him so he ran over and scored only 5 minutes into the half, Riley again converting to stretch the lead to 27-10. Defensively, it was beyond a shambles.

Rosslyn Park forced their way back into the match. A line-out in the home half was initially spoiled, but Park eventually gained a 5 metre scrum, which they opted to re-set when the home side offended and eventually Mike Baxter – appearing at centre – skipped over and Laidlaw converted to give a glimmer of hope at 27-17 with 20 minutes left.

That glimmer of hope looked a bit dimmer 5 minutes later when a penalty allowed Riley to extend the lead to 30-17, but Park certainly did not give it up. Some excellent work by Nev Edwards, who really ought to be able to claim Danger Money playing behind this defence, eventually led to a try for Joe Trayfoot out wide. The conversion defied even Laidlaw, but at 30-22 it was getting closer.

With not much time left another superb run by Edwards scythed through the defence and again Trayfoot did not let him down, going over for a try so that Laidlaw’s conversion brought his side within a point with little time left on the clock.

It looked as if Rosslyn Park had blown it when the home side were awarded a penalty in their own half with time effectively up. But the long kick failed to find touch, so the visitors needed to retain the ball, get into Sedgley territory and hope to at least force a penalty. Some fine passing took them into the home half, but at a tackle it came down to who the referee would ‘ping’: the attacker for not releasing or the defender for not allowing release. He was in no doubt, and the comeback was stymied.

Rosslyn Park: Edwards; Unseld (Parsons), Gower, Baxter, Rudd; Laidlaw; Barr; Marfo (Ovens), Gotting (Richmond), Ward; Lloyd-Jones (Rowland), Anderson; McKeen, Campbell, Trayfoot.

Sub not used: Shabbo

Park scorers: Trayfoot (2T), Campbell (T), Baxter (T), Laidlaw (P, 3C)

Saturday 24th March 2012

Rosslyn Park 24 Fylde  44

Fylde caught Rosslyn Park napping at the start, imposing their quick-running and passing game from kick off and set up lock Paul Arnold to go over, past some poor defending, to put the visitors 5-0 ahead with barely a minute on the clock and before Park had really got their hands on the ball.

Park replied by briefly setting up shop in the Fylde 22, gaining a penalty out wide which fly half Ross Laidlaw hoofed to touch, and from the lineout Stanley McKeen made a commanding catch and set up Laurence Ovens to nearly get over. Fylde sinned again and Laidlaw hammered over for 5-3, though there was a lengthy hiatus as one of the touch judges failed to signal it, and the referee initially disallowed the kick, provoking protest from the Park players and the spectators behind the posts.

Any thoughts that this might herald a Park comeback were dashed when another sweeping move, aided and abetted by a litany of missed tackles, caught Park out and Fylde winger Ollie Brennand dashed in up the left, Richard Kenyon converting to make it 12-3 on 11 minutes.

There followed a period of extended madness in the home defence as missed, or simply absent, tackles saw the visitors run rings round them. As Karl Marx observed in another context: history tends to repeat itself, the first time as tragedy the second time as farce – though the defending was more like those other Marxes, Harpo and Groucho, as visiting centre Steve Briers helped himself to two ridiculously easy tries, the first of them converted, and Fylde had pocketed the 4-try bonus before even 20 minutes were on the clock. At 24-3, Park a mountain to climb.

Finally settling to play some rugby themselves, Park looked good when going forward and gave notice of intent with a good attack up the right, but when the ball was whipped across the middle John Rudd’s outstretched fingers could only knock on. The home side kept up the pressure, won a penalty from which Laidlaw kicked to the corner and on a repeat of the same routine Fylde tight-head, Alex Loney, was dispatched to the sin bin. From the resulting kick and drive, Ovens touched down for Park and Laidlaw converted for 24-10.

Fylde’s free-flowing style always looked dangerous, but for a while Park enjoyed slightly the upper hand and a good bullocking run by Ovens saw the ball spread wide where full-back Nev Edwards scampered over and Laidlaw converted with the final kick of the half for 24-17, with apparently all to play for after the interval.

Park did themselves no favours at the restart by conceding an early penalty which allowed Kenyon to stretch the lead to 27-10. It was for now, though, an even contest. The visitors still played their trademark open attacking game and were always a threat, but Park, too, were making chances. A good move saw Charlie Gower fling the ball wide to Rudd, but the winger could not outstrip the defence. A good kick saw Park back in the visiting 22, then a penalty led to a throw on 5 metres but Park failed to control the ball.

Fylde were now under real pressure and skipper Sam Beamont was the second player to be shown yellow. Park were quick to take advantage with full-back Nev Edwards making a darting run for a great individual try, Laidlaw’s conversion took Park within 3 points at 27-24 on 54 minutes.

That was as good as it got for Park. Fylde went up through the gears and a superb move up the left saw centre Mike Waywell go over with Kenyon converting to bring the score to 34-24 on 67 minutes. Park tried to recover but it never looked likely.

Given a kickable penalty three minutes from time, Fylde hoofed it to the corner and then drove the home pack back over their own line with consummate ease, replacement prop Simon Griffiths claiming the score for 39-24. Then with the last move of the match Chris Briers completed a hat-trick for Fylde past a defence that seemed to have simply given up the ghost.

There were periods of the match that Park showed that they could compete on equal terms, but overall Fylde were much better on the day and the truth is that, since a gallant defeat at Jersey, Park have rarely looked more than a shadow of the team that stormed to the top of the table at the turn of the year.

Park: Edwards; Shabbo, Parsons, Robinson (Gower), Rudd; Laidlaw; Barr; Ovens (Marfo), Richmond (Gotting), Ward; Lloyd-Jones, McKeen; Rowland (Lock), Campbell, Trayfoot.

Sub (not playing): Baxter

Park scorers: Edwards (2T), Ovens (T), Laidlaw (P, 3C)

Saturday 10th March 2012

Stourbridge 22  Rosslyn Park 25

Injury-hit Rosslyn Park returned from Stourbridge with 5 league points in the bag. It was far from a commanding performance, but with a whole back row out injured, along with top try-scorer Miles Mantella, and hooker Ben Gotting pressed into service as an emergency flanker, they will be pleased enough to have won.

The start was little short of disastrous as the visiting defence adopted the ‘Red Sea formation’, parting as Stourbridge centre Ben Barkley scampered through to put his side 5-0 in front.

When Park put it together they looked a different class, but handling errors seemed to beset them whenever they got close to scoring. A good attack in the 13th minute saw some beautiful long, wide passes send Will Robinson on a great run from which Dom Shabbo nearly got over. A 5-metre scrum saw Park awarded a free kick which Gotting took as a quick tap and when he could not get over the line Laurence Ovens drove on, but eventually the ball was spilt.

A quick throw at a lineout saw Park press forward again, but a succession of attacks brought no reward until Robinson hoofed a penalty to touch 10 metres from the try line and hooker Dan Richmond drove over to score, Robinson missing a very difficult conversion for 5-5.

No sooner had Park got themselves on level terms than a lapse in concentration saw them slip behind again. Within a minute a clearance kick went out on the full, Stourbridge took a quick throw and Barkley skipped in for his second easy try, converted by Nathan Bressington for 12-7 to the home side.

Park returned to the attack, but again could not consistently retain the ball. Stourbridge, desperate for a win to ease their relegation fears, launched a telling attack of their own. When they failed to exploit a long penalty advantage, play was brought back for the kick. The penalty was kicked to the corner, but Park offended again. This time Bressington accepted the 3 points on offer and Park hooker Dan Richmond earned his third 10 minute rest in four matches.

Even a man short, Park were able to take the game to Stourbridge. A good run through the middle by John Rudd yielded a penalty, but a strong cross-wind took Robinson’s attempt off course. Park maintained the momentum with a superb run by Nev Edwards that saw Ovens drive on and eventually the ball went wide on the left where Joe Trayfoot got over. An “impossible” conversion proved to be just that, but with 3 minutes to the interval Park were right back in it at 15-10.

Indeed, they nearly drew level, again getting into a great attacking position but were let down by a knock on.

Park started the second half with a promising attack before taking careful aim and shooting themselves in the foot. This time they dropped the ball in the opposition half and Stourbridge flanker Joe Garner simply picked it up and galloped away to score, making it 22-10 on 44 minutes.

Park still looked good in their build-up work. A powerful run up the left by Stan McKeen put pressure on the defence and Ben Gotting got over in the corner for 22-15. Stand-in skipper Ross Laidlaw decided to risk a slightly injured foot by attempting the touchline conversion himself, but was no luckier in the wind than was his predecessor.

The visitors returned to the attack, determined to rescue the match. Steve Parsons looked to have scored but his effort was disallowed. Eventually Park bundled over and Gotting emerged with the ball, bringing the 4-try bonus point, and then a super conversion by Laidlaw made it 22-22.

Stourbridge tried everything to secure the win they desperately needed, but a super clearance kick by Robinson saw Park return to the attack with a good run by Rudd. A score looked inevitable as the visitors spun the ball wide to a 2-man overlap on the left but the final pass was inches too far in front of Gotting’s outstretched fingers with the line at his mercy. It would have been a remarkable hat-trick on his ‘debut’ as flanker, but the pressure eventually told in the form of a penalty, from which Laidlaw kicked his side into the lead with only four minutes remaining.

Needing only to retain possession until full time, Park very nearly gave it away. First they lost possession with only seconds left, then they conceded a penalty in front of their own posts for the last play of the match. With the two points for a draw on offer insufficient to ease their relegation worries, Stourbridge bravely went for glory, running the ball to try to get the try that would bring them a win and a bonus point. It never really looked on, and Park held out.
Park:  Edwards; Shabbo (Edgerley), Parsons, Robinson, Rudd; Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr); Ovens (Marfo), Richmond, Ward; Lloyd-Jones; McKeen; Rowland, Gotting, Trayfoot
Subs not used: Johnson, Cross
Park scorers: Gotting (2T), Richmond (T), Trayfoot (T) Laidlaw (P, C)

Saturday 3rd March 2012

Rosslyn Park 19  Coventry  19

Earlier in the season these two sides fought out a thrilling match that finished 30-29 to Coventry. The only similarity with this dull, error-strewn  encounter was the close score. Coventry arrived with a side beset by injuries to key players, and Park simply played a stinker.

A strong wind, in Coventry’s favour in the first half, may have played some part but there were too many handling errors on both sides, but particularly by the visitors who seemed quite unable to piece any sort of move together in the early stages. The one player who did stand out early on was young Sam Edgerley for Park, given his first start in the scrum half jersey, he showed great confidence on the ball and his elusive runs always looked dangerous. There are still some rough edges to work on, but he was a bright spot in a dreary match.

Park dominated play paying frequent visits to the visitors’ 22, but lacking the decisive edge to capitalise until 14 minutes in, when a good attack saw the ball switched quickly from right to left: Nev Edwards, in good support from the full-back position might have got over himself, but passed on to Miles Mantella who scooted in at the corner. Fly half Ross Laidlaw went very close with a conversion that – with angle and wind – was as close to impossible as they come.

There was good reason to hope that, having broken through for a 5-0 lead the floodgates might open. Park were certainly the livelier, more creative side but all things are relative and play was becoming a catalogue of errors. Park had no trouble in establishing good field position, but simply could not capitalise on it. Until, that is, a piece of genius from Laidlaw on 33 minutes. The fly half received the ball at the back of the Coventry 22, in front of the posts and with defenders in front of him, by not much more than a straight run and feinting by dropping his shoulders one way then the other he got through and dived full length for a superb try. He converted it himself for 12-0.

Unless your reporter missed something, Coventry only played their way into the Park 22 once in the first half, an achievement they celebrated by promptly losing the ball. A kind critic would probably have said that Park had done enough to show they would pull away when playing with the conditions in the second half. A sterner one would have said they should have picked up the bonus point already.

The second half got off to the worst possible start when Dan Richmond got himself sin-binned for foul play. Against 14 men Coventry had their best chance, which increased when John Rudd was laid out and play continued while he received treatment. It was the player Rudd would have been marking, winger Jeff Gregson, who got over to reduce arrears to 7 points.

Restored in numbers, Park looked the better side, but ‘Cov’ were playing with considerably more cohesion and confidence than they had shown earlier. A brilliant run by Will Robinson set up a try for Harry Rowland in the right corner, to which Laidlaw added an outstanding touchline conversion for 19-7 with 24 minutes left.

Coventry were by now managing significant periods of denying possession to Park, and the old adage that you can’t play rugby without the ball came into force. Coventry put together an impressive raid up the left, but when the ball was whipped across they again contrived to knock on in front of the posts. It now became clear that the visitors were stronger in the scrum. Park were penalised, Cov opted to re-set the scrum and Park offended again, the referee spoke to skipper Mark Lock, but as the Park scrum was again forced backwards across their own line, a boot kicked the ball away and the penalty try was awarded, converted by Khrist Kopetsky.

With 11 minutes left, the match was summed up when Park kicked off and Coventry dropped the ball inside their own 22, only for Park then to get themselves penalised when the line beckoned. Play returned to midfield, Ben Gotting hit an opponent with a clattering tackle which left the player dazed and the hooker looking at a yellow card, forcing Park to face the final 7 minutes a man short.

Coventry kicked the penalty to touch, but messed up a short throw routine to let Park off the hook. However, when Coventry gained a scrummage to the right of the posts, Park were obliged to withdraw a player to allow Richmond to return at hooker and surprisingly withdrew a forward, Harry Rowland. The Park scrum went backwards over their own line and it was all down to a straightforward conversion which Kopetzky nearly – but not quite – muffed.

There was only time to kick off and Park had to settle for a draw. It was a poor result and a poor performance. The players will be as aware of that as anyone, and the test will be how they pick themselves up before the visit to lowly Stourbridge next week.
Park: Edwards; Mantella, Parsons, Gower, Rudd; Laidlaw; Edgerley (Baxter); Marfo, Richmond (Gotting), Ward; McKeen, Anderson; Trayfoot, Rowland, Lock.
Park scorers: Laidlaw (T, 2C), Mantella (T), Rowland (T).

Saturday 25th February 2012

Rosslyn Park 19 Macclesfield 17

There was near perfect weather for this National League One fixture at Roehampton. If one had looked at the teams respective recent records the visitors looked favourites to take the points. Park desperately needed a win after their form had dropped post the titanic struggle at Jersey but they started off well enough with the slight breeze at their backs.

The clock had ticked to 10 minutes without the scoreboard operator being troubled, but then a huge kick by No10 Will Robinson saw Park advance 60 metres to a lineout on the visitor’s line from whence Robinson struck a good penalty after the visitors sinned. Notable in the early exchanges was that Park were stealing opposition lineout ball and the resultant pressure led to Robinson adding a second penalty to put the home team into a 6-0 lead.

On 26 minutes Macclesfield had their first bit of concerted pressure and Gower was unlucky in nearly making an interception but just could not hold on. A minute later, after a try saving tackle by Nev Edwards at the corner flag, Macclesfield’s huge 2nd row Dean Williams eventually got over the line and the conversion gave the visitors the lead for the first time.

Encouraged by this, Macclesfield turned the screw and Park were desperate in defence until the ball was stolen and a huge relieving kick downfield brought play to an end in the first half.

Park were back under the cosh from the restart and a missed tackle on centre Fergus Mulchrone on 45 minutes allowed winger Josh Fowlds over in the corner and an excellent conversion stretched the lead to 6-14.

4 minutes later, Nev Edwards caught a kick downfield and returned it, the Park full back followed up and the Macclesfield player was caught in possession, a bit of unwanted advice to the referee on the finer points of the laws of the game led to the visitors being marched back 10 metres from which Robinson made it 9-14, but as so often happens a penalty gained leads to one being conceded and full back Charles Winney kept his 100% kicking record for 9-17.

With Park not having seen much ball in the second half this looked a serious development and there ensued a sterile midfield battle where neither side could exert control.

With a quarter of an hour’s play left, Dom Shabbo made the break on halfway that brought Park right back into it, streaking down the left wing to 10 metres from the line, the inside pass hit a retreating Macclesfield player and Charlie Gower collected and dived over. Referee and touch judge conferred to ensure that all was in order and the try was correctly awarded. Mike Baxter who had taken over kicking duties from the withdrawn Robinson duly converted to make a one point game at 16-17.

Hero became villain when Macclesfield’s Dean Williams was sin binned for preventing the ball being released and Baxter stepped up to add three points to give Park a 2 point lead at 19-17 and a consequentially desperate finale.

Park won and lost possession, won it back and then threw it away with a kick direct into touch. Macclesfield tried to grind the ball downfield with little return for their efforts. In defending, Park conceded at least three penalties in non kickable range but with time expired, the ball had to be run.  The almost inevitable knock on occurred with play being forced and the referee blew no side. Not a classic game by any means but after a run of defeats that win for Park was oh so important..

Park: Edwards; Mantella (Shabbo 58m),  Parsons, Gower, Rudd; Robinson (Edgerley 58m); Baxter; Ovens (Marfo 52m),  Richmond (Gotting 66m), Ward: Anderson, Lloyd-Jones (Trayfoot 61m);  Lock, Campbell, McKeen.

Park Scorers:   Gower(T),  Robinson (3P),  Baxter (P,C).

Saturday 18th February 2012

Wharfedale 8  Rosslyn Park 7

Quite how Park came to lose a match that they dominated in every area – except the rather important one of scoring points – is difficult to say. The conditions were pretty awful, some parts of the pitch were treacherously muddy and there was a strong end-to-end wind, but even if you clutch at straws and say that the home side are more used to such conditions, then Park had enough possession and territory to have won 3 matches.

Wharfedale initially played downhill with a strong, bitterly cold and gusting wind at their backs and kicked off deep to Park’s left flank, where failure to field the ball saw Park’s first touch to be throwing in at a defensive lineout. That was just about the closest Wharfedale got to the Park line for the entire first half. Playing possession rugby, Park worked the ball back uphill and virtually set up camp on the home try-line.

Laurence Ovens and Lorne Ward both nearly managed to bundle over, but the young Wharfedale side defended as if their very lives depended upon it. A penalty for offside from the 5 metre line saw Park again surge forward in several waves until finally they conceded a penalty to allow the home side to clear.

Park soon won back the ball and worked it back upfield. A penalty that would normally have been a doddle for Ross Laidlaw had to be spurned given the impossibility of kicking into such a strong  wind. A further penalty was taken as a quick tap, and again the visitors camped on the line. When the way straight ahead was barred they spread the ball wide but eventually knocked on.

Wharfedale tried to make inroads, but when they were awarded a scrum on their own 10 metres a brilliant piece of play by scrum half Graham Barr won the ball for Park, who returned to the attack. However, as Park broke away the referee spotted a gratuitous piece of illegal action by hooker Dan Richmond, who was unhesitatingly sent to the sin bin. The home side, a man to the good, made their first real attack and won a penalty on the 22. Tom Davidson’s kick sailed between the posts and utterly against the run of play the home side were 3-0 ahead on 24 minutes.

Even when short-handed, Park had vastly the better of the play. They drove on uphill, lost possession through a forward movement, but continued the onward march, driving back into the 22. Another penalty had to be spurned, but the kick to touch saw another encampment on the home line. Surge after surge was met with superb last ditch defence. After further extra-legal methods were deployed in the resistance, home centre Dan Hart was sent to the sin bin and it was Wharfedale who had to play a man short.

Park remained camped on the line but, when it seemed that irresistible force had finally overcome immovable object, Laurence Ovens’ “try” was (correctly) disallowed for a double-movement. Somehow spirited Wharfedale had held out for 3-0 at half time, but with Park due to have the advantage of the slope and the wind in the second half few would have backed their chances of holding on.

Park began the second half with a useful foray into the home 22 but were stopped by a forward movement. Forced to play possession rugby, Wharfedale proved to be rather good at it, denying Park anything like the same amount of ball they had enjoyed in the first half and they forced Park to defend well for really the first time.

But Park still looked the only likely winners. A hack-on downhill went dead before it could be dived on. A dangerous looking attack was ended by a knock-on and a dangerous diagonal run by John Rudd ended in a penalty for “crossing”. Back came Park but frustratingly this time the ball was dropped. Eventually the pressure told. Park had a penalty close to the line and home replacement Steve Graham was sent to the bin. Park took a tap penalty and eventually Laurence Ovens was driven over to score on 64 minutes. Laidlaw converted to give Park a 7-3 lead.

Wharfedale, now behind and a man short, decided to take the game to Park and, while the visiting defence looked solid, ‘Dale enjoyed a mini-success when they wheeled a Park scrum. But the wheels fell off for the visitors when replacement prop Darryl Marfo ended a 15 minute cameo performance courtesy of a yellow card. The home side put extended pressure on a reduced defence – tough tackling Luke Campbell having to be withdrawn to enable Ward to return for scrum safety – and full-back Luke Gray skipped over in the Park left corner. No one could have kicked the conversion, but the Dalesmen again held an unlikely lead with little time left. Park looked devastated.

The task of fashioning a further score was simply too much for Park. They stuck to their task, but this time patience did not pay off. Park’s supporters were left shaking their heads at how their team could have lost after having so much of the game, and how a team with the wind at their backs and playing downhill could play an entire 40 minutes without once kicking for position. But that is in hindsight.  It may be significant that each of Wharfedale’s scores came when Park had reduced themselves unnecessarily to 14 men, and it should also be recorded that the home side played, particularly in defence, with an almost super-human spirit that did not allow Park to settle for a moment.

Park: Mantella; Parsons, Shabbo (Edwards), Gower, Rudd; Laidlaw; Barr (Edgerley); Ovens, Richmond (Gotting), Ward (Marfo); Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot (Gotting, safety, Lock), Campbell (Ward, safety), McKeen.

Park scorers: Ovens (T), Laidlaw (c)

Saturday 28th January 2012

Cinderford 22 Rosslyn Park 12

If Cinderford looked anything but a side that has spent most of the season battling against relegation, then Park didn’t look much like title contenders either with a disappointing display. The home side had to weather 16 minutes of concerted Park pressure straight from kick off. Two penalties were hammered into the home 22; breaks up either wing were halted for handling errors; the much vaunted Cinderford scrum was driven off their own ball in their 22; there was a forward surge towards the line.  The home defence was excellent, but perhaps it was also a case of too much icing and not enough cake, but whatever reason, their considerable exertions failed to yield any points.

The first time Cinderford secured any reasonable possession, a hoof up the left was followed by a maul which bundled hooker Sam Wilkes over the line for a 5 point lead, completely against the run of play on 17 minutes. Suddenly Rugby seemed a simple game.

Seven minutes later Cinderford’s direct style again brought dividends, a good run up the right and a pass inside allowed flanker Will Foden to run in close to the posts, converted by Dan Trigg for 12-0 on 24 minutes.

Cinderford were by now competing on more than even terms. They gained a penalty in the Park 22 and opted to scrummage, but the defence held firm until relieved when the home side were pinged for obstruction. Park countered but had difficulty in breaching the ‘red zone’ until a super attack through the middle saw skipper Mark Lock lead by example and crash through by the posts giving Ross Laidlaw a simple conversion for 12-7 to bring Park right back into contention four minutes before the interval.

However, with the half-time whistle beckoning, slack defending allowed home winger Stapleton to pick up the ball, run past two tackles on the Park left and run round close to the posts, Trigg converting, to make the score at the interval 19-7.

Park made the best possible start to the second half with a superb try almost from kick off. A devastating burst up the right by Steve Parsons found Dom Shabbo in perfect support to finish off the move in the corner to put Park back in it at 19-12. The angle for the conversion attempt defeated even Laidlaw.

Cinderford came back, gaining a penalty on the edge of the Park 22, which they kicked to touch. From the resulting line out Park lock Stan McKeen was sent to the sin bin on the intervention of the touch judge and Park were left in desperate defence and a man short. When eventually Park were caught offside, Trigg took the 3 points for 22-12, leaving Park needing more than one try to turn the game around.

The visitors had sufficient attacking possession to have accomplished that several times over, but move after move was spoilt by uncharacteristic handling errors. On gaining a penalty, Laidlaw was asked to attempt one at the very limit of his range in the conditions, while most touchline support was begging for it to be hammered to the corner to go for the try. Park themselves conceded a penalty around half way which Cinderford missed.

Park switched to all-out attack but again knocked on when approaching the line. They quite brilliantly turned over possession in the home 22, but again spoilt it by mis-handling and when they conceded another penalty the game was up.

During their run of victories, Park showed an invincible ‘togetherness’ that refused to accept defeat. By comparison this performance – hard as they tried – looked a tad dispirited. With no match next weekend the coaches have a couple of weeks to re-kindle that spirit before Macclesfield – level on points with Park – come visiting.

Park: Edwards; Parsons, Shabbo, Gower, Rudd (Mantella); Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr); Ovens, Richmond (Gotting), Huggett (Ward); Lloyd-Jones, McKeen; Trayfoot, Rowland, Lock (Campbell)

Park scorers: Lock (T), Shabbo (T), Laidlaw (C)

Saturday 21st January 2012

Rosslyn Park 23 Tynedale 37

Despite fielding similar personnel, this was not the Rosslyn Park team that performed so heroically at Jersey the previous weekend. Perhaps the physical and emotional toll of that supreme effort taxed Park’s part-timers more than was obvious at the time, because the tank looked decidedly empty here.

The afternoon started well enough for the home side. Playing into the teeth of a strong blustery wind, they soon won a penalty, which was kicked to touch but they were unable to profit. However, they soon won another penalty, this time in front of the posts, for Ross Laidlaw to put them 3-0 ahead on 10 minutes.

Two minutes later Tynedale fly half Gavin Beasley equalised with a penalty of his own, but despite the wind Park looked the better side with some incisive attacking play. A John Rudd run through the middle was stopped but Park were able to spin the ball wide and Steve Parsons ran in a good try for 8-3 on 21 minutes. Laidlaw’s conversion attempt looked right on target until blown off course.

Park were immediately back at the opposition and Tynedale forced to resort to extra-legal methods, resulting in the loss of flanker Grant Beasley to the sin bin. Park tried to press home their consequent advantage but obdurate defence saw them claim only a Laidlaw penalty towards the end of Beasley’s “sentence”, which increased the lead to 11-3.

Despite having the worst of the elements, Park looked in no trouble and put together some good attacks, eventually seeing flanker Joe Trayfoot go in for a try out wide. Such was the influence of the wind, however, that a kicker of Laidlaw’s pedigree simply could not reach the posts.

With the last move of the match Tynedale had a really concentrated attack, finally spreading the ball for number 8 Sam Shires to gallop over, his score making it 16-8 at the interval. With Park about to enjoy the apparent advantage of conditions in the second half, it looked more like a death rattle than a warning. Which shows how wrong you can be.

Tynedale were now forced to play close-contact “up your jumper” stuff, and proved very good at it. Park kicked off deep into visiting territory, which was the last they saw of the ball. A succession of pick-and-drives and close passes saw Tynedale work the ball to half way, where they won a penalty, kicked to touch and drove over courtesy of prop David Dickinson, leaving Park to kick off again at 16-13.

Tynedale’s ball retention was superb, and whatever latent threat Park’s backs might have presented was rendered ineffective without the ball. Again Tynedale made steady progress into the home 22 where they won a penalty, and a quick-witted tap saw full-back Hamish Smales go in by the posts to give his side the lead for the first time, Beasley’s conversion making it 16-20.

If that looked bad for Park, worse was to come four minutes later when Tynedale mounted a super attack up their left past a couple of tired tackles and quickly flashed the ball across for winger Peter Cole to claim a good try for 16-25, and bring up the 4-try bonus.

Park were still unable to wrest any worthwhile possession from their eager opponents, who were supplying a text book lesson on how to prevail with a limited game in these particular conditions. Back in the home 22, they were again rewarded with a penalty, kicked to touch. The drive that took lock Richard Boyle over seemed a tad too easy for the comfort of home supporters. Beasley’s conversion brought up 16-32 with 20 minutes remaining.

Park really did try to pull it back. A good move took them to the visitors’ line but, just as a score looked likely, they were frustrated by conceding a penalty. Back they came and were rewarded with a penalty just outside the 22. Laidlaw hammered it to touch and Park drove over, prop Lorne Ward the scorer. Laidlaw’s conversion left them to score ten points with 12 minutes remaining in order to turn things round.

Park gave it their best shot, immediately returning to the attack, forcing a further penalty, again hoofed to touch. Camped on the line, all things looked possible as Tynedale defended desperately but, again, as they sought to probe for another opening they conceded a penalty.

Tynedale managed to work the ball to the Rosslyn Park 22 for the final proof that somehow the Rugby Gods had been offended. It would have been bad enough for a defender to have knocked on, but for the ball to conveniently fall conveniently to visiting lock Boyle to allow him to lope in for his second try seemed somehow a bit too cruel. At 23-37 Park’s goose was not so much cooked as completely frazzled.

Playing for pride alone, Park managed a last incursion into the Tynedale 22 but when the visitors secured the ball they had no hesitation in wellying it out over their own goal line to bring a win they probably did not anticipate. It would be wrong to be too harsh on Park (though the coaches may prove an exception here). It was a tired looking performance, but those who followed them to Jersey may well endorse the fact that it was at least understandable.

Park: Edwards; Rudd, Parsons, Gower (Robinson), Mantella; Laidlaw; Barr; Ovens, Gotting, Ward (Huggett); Pape (McKeen), Anderson; Trayfoot, Rowland, Lock.

Sub (did not play): Richmond, Baxter

Saturday 14th January

Jersey 20 Rosslyn Park 18

Sometimes it just isn’t your day. Rosslyn Park’s luck deserted them in a titanic the top-of-the-table struggle in front of 3648 spectators squeezed into the tiny Rue des Landes ground, Jersey, on Saturday. Jersey kicked off with a strong breeze and three and a half thousand sets of lungs behind them.

An early nervous handling error in gathering the starting kick gave the hosts first possession, but Park met the challenge with some first rate tackling and were awarded a penalty, which Laidlaw banged to touch. Jersey won the throw, but Park were soon at them and initially imposed their own game. A super move saw them pass the ball along the line to out wide on the right for Steve Parsons to charge over and give Park the lead after 5 minutes. A tight angle and a stiff breeze defeated Ross Laidlaw’s conversion attempt.

The home side tried to impose themselves, but generally Park’s defence were clearly up to the job and effectively made their 22 a “no go” area. Unable to play their way through the defensive line, Jersey seized upon the chance to score via a Ross Broadfoot penalty. Sensing blood, and roared on by the crowd, Jersey piled on the pressure and won a further penalty but Broadfoot missed a difficult kick.

This was a match of almost unbearable tension as the two best sides in the league slugged it out. Park looked the more dangerous side in terms of penetrating enemy territory, and saw their chance when Islanders’ number 8 Steve O’Brien was despatched to the sin bin. A great attack saw them working the ball along the line to the left until a careless pass was intercepted close to the try-line. Jersey reacted instantly, flanker Guy Thompson sprinted away, was stopped close to the line but the ball was quickly worked across for full-back Glenn Bryce to score before numbers arrived. Broadfoot’s conversion kick hit the outside of the post, but the home side led by 8-5.

Back bounced Park, with a good move started with a break by Parsons but it ended with a knock on. Park then, with an immense effort by the pack, turned over the powerful Jersey scrum on the edge of their own 22 but when they looked to have the home side well stretched were penalised for “crossing” to allow Jersey to clear.

Jersey took an 8-5 lead into the interval. They probably shaded possession in the first half but hardly entered the Park 22. On slightly less possession, Park had made a few dangerous excursions into the Jersey 22. All was therefore set for a gripping second half. With the wind at their backs, Park looked to have every chance of turning things round but early efforts could not breach an excellent defence and first blood went to Jersey in the form of a penalty, converted by Broadfoot for 11-5. Park were straight back at them but were again harshly penalised for “crossing” when a score looked very much on the cards.

Six minutes later it was Park who forced a penalty, and Ross Laidlaw pegged the score back to 11-8. Park’s tackling was now beginning to turn the game around, but a great tackle was ludicrously judged to be a potential “spear tackle”. It was nothing of the sort, but a good old-fashioned text book clattering that swept the victim off his feet. The penalty meant that instead of Park maintaining momentum Broadfoot was able to hammer over the penalty to restore the 6-point margin at 14-8.

Park continued to press forward and were rewarded with a further penalty for Laidlaw to peg the scores back to 14-11. Park were far from done for, and drove back deep into the Jersey half but could not retain the ball. Still no one could get the vital edge in a see-saw match until Park were penalised in front of their own posts and again Broadfoot extracted the price for 17-11 with 15 minutes left.

Park made a massive attack on the Jersey line with a series of pick and drives. The hosts’ defence was magnificent, but a try looked inevitable which would snatch a late lead if converted. However, when Park quickly spread the ball to where the defence was stretched the referee again penalised Park for “crossing”. With no opponent anywhere within tackling distance, it was a woeful decision. Not only did it allow the home side to clear, but Park were then almost immediately penalised again, and instead of potentially taking the lead, the visitors looked to have been shut out of it at 20-11, with less than 10 minutes left.

Of course, no one can know whether Park would have scored had they not been unfairly penalised, nor how Jersey would have responded if they had, but it always seems a shame when such a vital and well-fought match appears to turn on such a questionable decision.

But the Park team – greatly to their credit – simply got on with things and set up another massive assault on the Jersey line. The inevitable try came when replacement scrum half Graham Barr managed to get over. But a miracle was ruled out when – as Ross Laidlaw’s conversion bisected the posts to make it 20-18 the referee blew for time.

Park could justifiably feel unlucky, having scored two tries to an interception try and, whilst Jersey shaded overall possession it was Park who set up the more dangerous situations. It would be deeply unfair to suggest that referee Ross Campbell, a perfectly good official, was in any way partial, but everyone makes the odd mistake and unfortunately for the visitors a couple of his apparent errors had a fundamental effect on their fortunes. But Jersey were good enough to seize their chances and force the win. Park let no one down, least of all themselves, and there is no reason at all to give up on their title chase, but if Jersey do go on to win the title then – as a team and as a club – they will be worthy Champions.

Park: Edwards; Shabbo, Parsons, Robinson (Gower), Mantella; Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr); Ovens, Richmond, Ward; McKeen, Anderson; Rowland, Campbell (Pape), Lock

Subs not used: Huggett, Gotting

Park scorers: Parsons (T), Barr (T), Laidlaw (2P, C).

Saturday 7th January

Rosslyn Park 43  Cambridge 17

Rosslyn Park swept to the top of National One with an imperious second half performance in which they produced five unanswered tries. That did not look a likely outcome when Cambridge – with the wind at their backs – were the better side in the first half and deservedly held a 17-10 lead at the interval.

Cambridge could not have got off to a better start. Kicking off, they won the ball and ran at Park, who were caught flat footed, and when centre Toby Berridge received the ball he bounced off a defender before touching down by the posts with only seconds on the clock. Fly half Elliott Bale added a conversion for 7-0.

Stung, Park came straight back and soon levelled the scores with a good try. Scrum half Graham Barr picked out centre Dom Shabbo, who made a great run and released winger Steve Parsons to plunge over. Ross Laidlaw’s kick levelled the scores.

If Park’s moves looked marginally sharper than did their opponents’, then it was Cambridge who enjoyed an edge in territory and possession. When Park conceded a penalty on 15 minutes Bale was on hand to kick his side to a 10-7 lead.

Park were forced to do more defending than they had bargained for, but did it well. Whenever they broke out they looked dangerous and forced Cambridge to concede a penalty inside their own 22. Laidlaw kicked to touch to set up the catch and drive, which the visitors could only stop illegally to set up a repeat. This time the normally dependable Park lineout failed to secure their own ball and, instead of taking the lead, were again forced to defend.

Park’s defence was again first rate, but when Nev Edwards tried to set up a counter-attack with a neat chip the ball was held up on the wind and very nearly set up an interception try. This time Cambridge refused to give up their position on the Park line and eventually after much huffing and puffing prop Tom Fidler was bundled over for a try, Bale converting for 17-7 on 23 minutes.

Just as it looked as if Cambridge would take a 10-point lead into the second half, Park had an attacking line-out in the visitors’ 22. Cambridge pulled down the catcher to concede a penalty out wide which, into a strong wind, would have taxed any kicker. Laidlaw made it look routine.

Park emerged from the dressing room after the interval to play 40 minutes of sublime attacking rugby to which the visitors, hard as they tried, had no real reply. In the second minute of the half Edwards was in a great position to receive the ball and dive in full length under the posts to allow Laidlaw to convert and equalise.

Six minutes later another super passing movement saw Parsons on the receiving end to sprint around the outside of the defence for Laidlaw to add a conversion to put his side ahead for the first time.

Only three minutes to wait for a sensational individual try by Miles Mantella, who picked the ball up in midfield, saw an angle and simply flew to touch down under the posts to bring the 4-try bonus and give Laidlaw an easy kick to stretch the lead. With the forwards now providing a seemingly endless supply of quality ball, Park really turned on the style with great movement and invention in the backs – even the odd flip-behind-the-back pass came off. This was worth a tenner of anyone’s money, and they hadn’t finished yet.

Steve Parsons was released again for a super gallop up the right. He could not quite make it over, but Park retained possession moving the ball along the line for skipper Mark Lock to almost force his way in. The visiting defence was very good indeed, but they had no answer left when again the ball was recycled and quickly returned along the line to the right where centre Dom Shabbo went over.

Probably the best “try” was a superb move that sent in Mantella, but the referee brought play back for an earlier forward pass to earn some good-natured booing from the crowd.

It was only reasonable that the forwards should try to get in on the act. Driving towards the line, Cambridge did well to hold them up, but when the ball was released replacement hooker Ben Gotting was on hand to force himself over to bring a deserved one for the “fat boys” and a final score of 43-17.

What was most impressive was that Cambridge showed in the first period that they were a very good side. However, Park cannot rest on their laurels as next week they fly to the Channel Islands to face second-placed Jersey, where they have only been defeated once since March 2009, and whose win over Ealing was their 12th in succession. It’s tough at the top.

Park: Edwards; Parsons (Gower), Shabbo, Robinson, Mantella; Laidlaw; Barr (Baxter): Ovens, Richmond (Gotting), Ward (Huggett); Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot, Barrett (Campbell), Lock.

Park scorers: Parsons (2T), Edwards (T), Mantella (T), Shabbo (T), Gotting (T), Laidlaw (P, 5C)

Saturday 17th December 2011

Ealing 22  Rosslyn Park 23

A crowd of more than twice Ealing’s average watched a match every bit as nail-biting as one might expect of a local derby between the first and second clubs. Park well deserved their victory, scoring three tries to one, but had to fight to the last second of the match to secure it. Two magnificent defences restricted the scoring chances and it was probably Park’s extra nous up front, securing their first two tries, that made the crucial difference.

With less than a minute played Park won a penalty on half way. Laidlaw hoofed it into the 22 and Park went over with the catch and drive. The referee was unconvinced that the ball had been fairly grounded, but was playing advantage to Park after an Ealing forward had been offside. Laidlaw returned the ball to touch and there could be no doubts this time as Mark Lock went over for 5-0. Laidlaw’s conversion attempt from out wide only narrowly missed.

Ealing went straight back and this time it was Park who were offside and fly half Ben Ward kicked the penalty for 5-3 on six minutes. Clearly this was going to be a real battle.

Park had an edge in the forwards, but Ealing always looked dangerous ball in hand. The visitors defended well until a missed tackle on the Park left allowed a clear run and when the ball was passed inside to full-back Neil Hallett he made no mistake against his former club, ghosting in by the posts. Ward converted to give Ealing a 10-5 lead on 13 minutes.

The pendulum swung back Park’s way when they forced another penalty, Laidlaw spurned a kickable chance to put the ball into touch inside the Ealing 22. Another massive attack saw scrum half Mike Baxter eventually get over well to the left of the posts to tie the scores at 10-10 on 17 minutes.

Again Ealing replied with a concerted attack. Park were caught offside and the penalty hoofed to the corner to maintain the pressure, but the Park defence was solid and they were able to play themselves out of trouble. The battle continued in midfield until Miles Mantella received the ball out wide and sprinted past defenders to score by the posts, Laidlaw converted to put Park ahead by 17-10 at 33 minutes.

Park held an advantage in terms of possession and territory, but Ealing were looking to throw the ball around at every opportunity and always looked dangerous. Just as it looked as if Park would hold onto their 7 point lead to the interval some good play by Ealing made space for Ward to kick a perfectly struck drop goal to bring his side within 4 points with the last play of the first half, deep into generous added time.

Park made a strong start after the interval and Ealing had to defend well, but when Ealing eventually countered they were awarded a penalty and Hallett coolly slotted over a long kick to bring his side within a point and ratchet up the tension even further.

The visitors now had a clear edge in playing terms, but it was tense stuff with both sides aware that any error could be fatal. Some sterling work by the Park back row prised the ball away from Ealing possession and a hack-on upfield induced an error leading to a scrum on the Ealing 22. The visitors were stronger in the set piece and won a penalty for Laidlaw to take the lead back to 20-16.

Within a minute it was Park penalised at the scrum and up strode Ward to peg it back to 20-19.

However, Park were now very much dominating exchanges with Ealing forced to defend. The visitors camped on the Ealing line, drive after drive absorbed by desperate – but brilliant – defence. The try to bring the bonus point that could take Park to the top looked inevitable. But when Park tried to spread the ball to try yet another angle they lost control of it. They soon won it back and returned to all out attack, this time winning a difficult penalty. Laidlaw was asked to kick for the 3 points but in difficult conditions his kick went narrowly wide and Park had nothing to show for a prolonged period of intense pressure; Ealing looked mightily relieved.

Park returned to the attack, but with less than 10 minutes to go an Ealing clearance led to a break and the visitors were penalised close to their own 22. Ward kicked his side ahead, perhaps against the run of the play but they all count for the same.

With not long left to save a game they looked to have deservedly won, Park returned to the attack and got their just desserts with a penalty close to full time. By Laidlaw’s standards it was not the most difficult, but with apparently the outcome of the whole match resting on his shoulders it was a masterful effort to restore the lead to 23-22 with hardly any time left.

There were still unforeseen dramas to be played out. Ealing belted a long ball deep into Park territory, but the attempt to return it with interest was badly sliced, conceding a throw deep in Park territory. Ealing threw the ball around desperately probing for an opportunity for a drop goal, but having exhausted all possibilities had to settle for a less-than-half chance and the ball went nowhere near the posts.

Still play was allowed to continue. Park pressed upfield from the restart and an Ealing knock-on gave them a scrum. The referee indicated that this was the last play, so when scrum half Graham Barr received the ball back from the rear of the scrum, instead of risking his kick being charged down he kicked towards his own end. He could only look in horror as he failed to find touch! But an alert defender managed to save his blushes and hack it out of play before the Ealing winger could pounce, and Park could celebrate a deserved victory.

Park: Edwards; Gower, Shabbo (Unseld), Robinson, Mantella; Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr);Ovens, Richmond, Ward; Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot, Campbell, Lock.

Subs not used: Huggett, Barrett, Rowland.

Park scorers: Lock (T), Baxter (T), Mantella (T), Laidlaw (2P, C).

Saturday 10th December 2011

Rosslyn Park 44  Barking  13

Three tries in the last 15 minutes gave Park a margin of victory that seemed unlikely for most of the match. Barking are no respecters of reputation and gave away no presents. Park played some smart approach work, always looking the better side but made errors just as the score looked “on”. They took an early lead following an attack up the right, from which they smartly switched the ball across the field where hooker Ben Gotting trotted in to score out wide. The narrow angle defeated even Ross Laidlaw’s conversion attempt.

Barking fired a shot across Park’s bows with a useful attack which caught them offside and fly half Chris Ashwin kicked the penalty for 5-3.

Rosslyn Park generally had the upper hand, but a simple misunderstanding of the sort that drives coaches to drink, while Park were attacking close to the Barking line, saw the visitors sprint away up the Park right flank for full-back Andrew Henderson to eventually touch down by the posts for a great opportunist try.  Ashwin converted for an unlikely 5-10 lead for the visitors.

Park launched an all-out attack, started by a hack up the wing by Gotting and taken on through several hands before the excellent Will Robinson was pinged for not releasing. But the visitors could not stem the tide as Park stormed up the right, committing so many defenders that when the ball was quickly shipped across to the left,  where Dom Shabbo was completely unmarked and with a two man overlap just in case, he sauntered over for the easiest of tries. Laidlaw’s conversion attempt hit the post.

At 10-10 it looked as if Park might run away with the match, but they simply committed too many errors at the business end, after good build up play, to press home their advantage in terms of points on the board.  They could easily have been in bonus point territory by the interval, but a Laidlaw penalty was their only addition to the score before the break – and that was almost cancelled out when one the other way from Ashwin hit the post.

Any thoughts that Park might run away with the match immediately after the interval proved premature. Presumably buouyed up by being only 3 points in arrears despite being outplayed in the first period, Barking came out firing on all cylinders for the second half. However, there was still an undeniable edge to the home side’s attacks and they extended their lead with a great try, fashioned by Shabbo and finished with pace from Miles Mantella. Laidlaw made an incredible conversion angle look easy for 20-10.

A penalty from Laidlaw found touch in the corner from which Park set up an impressive drive only to surrender the ball (though the referee missed a blatant offside by the Barking player who ripped it away). Park were then penalised in their own half and Ashwin again kicked his side to within 7 points. Barking still simply refused to go away.

Handed a penalty chance, Laidlaw accepted it to re-establish a ten-point lead with 15 minutes remaining in which to get the try Park desperately needed for a bonus point to put pressure on the league-leaders, Ealing. One thing that must be said for the current Park side is that they understand the value of patience, keeping up to their task with confidence in their game plan rather than the “Plan B: Headless Chickens” approach. Reward came when some smart approach play was capitalised upon by Dom Shabbo to claim the vital score, Laidlaw nailing another top notch conversion.

As everything finally fell into place it was now all Rosslyn Park with some bravura rugby to send their supporters home happy. A good collective gallop up the right ended with Joe Trayfoot scoring before a typical high-speed individual try by Paul Unseld set the seal on things. Laidlaw added both conversions.  No win is easy in this division, and the Park players have every reason to be pleased with the result, but one feels that they will almost certainly be required to play better than this over the whole 80 minutes if they are to prevail at Ealing in the crunch match next Saturday.

Park: Edwards; Mantella,Shabbo (Unseld), Robinson, Rudd; Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr); Ovens, Gotting (Richmond), Ward (Graham); Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Rowland (Trayfoot), Campbell, Lock.

Park scorers: Shabbo (2T), Gotting (T), Mantella (T), Trayfoot (T), Unseld (T), Laidlaw (2P, 4C).

Saturday 3rd December

Rosslyn Park 34 Balydon 30

Rosslyn Park eventually got the win, with bonus point, that they needed but only after they had passed the sternest of examinations set by an excellent Blaydon side, who played way above their League position. The reputation of the Blaydon front row went before them, and Park’s experienced front row did well to counter them. Park had the edge in the backs, but their very ambition and enterprise at times saw them make more mistakes than their counterparts. In terms of cold statistics, both sides scored four tries and two penalties, but Park’s Ross Laidlaw successfully kicked all four conversion attempts against his opponents’ two.

The referee, Monsieur Luiz, on an exchange visit from the French Federation, was quicker on his whistle than most encountered in National one (though consistent and meticulously fair, which is all you can ask). This led to an early exchange of penalties. Fly half Andrew Baggett kicked the visitors ahead on 3 minutes. Almost from kick off a penalty went the other way but, facing the wind, Laidlaw went for touch.

From the catch and drive, Park went over but such was the pile of bodies that the referee was unable to allow the effort. Blaydon sinned at the resulting scrum and Park again kicked to touch; the visitors defended resolutely but had no answer when full-back Nev Edwards received the ball out wide. With the way ahead blocked he made a superb angled run inside to score near enough to the posts that Laidlaw did not need to calculate for any breeze when nailing the conversion.

However, before Park could even think of running away with the match they were pinged again by the referee and Baggett kicked his side well back into contention at 7-6 on 10 minutes.

Park were always looking to play enterprising rugby, shifting the ball around but the visitors harried them well and it was seizing upon a small error that saw them take a surprise lead four minutes later when former Newcastle Falcons hooker Matt Hall burst over, Baggett converting to put Blaydon in front by 13-7.

That lead was short-lived in a pulsating end-to-end contest that was worth a tenner of anyone’s money. A Blaydon clearance went out on the full, bringing play back to the danger area and as Park moved the ball around Miles Mantella spotted a gap and sprinted a superb diagonal line to score, Laidlaw’s conversion regaining the lead at 14-13.

Park had begun to really find their gear and further pressure saw Edwards back in with the try of the match,  a superb solo effort breaking tackles at speed up the left wing. With only one tackler left close to the line, and with Paul Unseld outside him, the full-back took responsibility himself and his low angled dive took the defender over with him. The conversion attempt looked impossible but Laidlaw underlined what a superb kicker he is, though even he needed the assistance of the far post with this one.

Blaydon, though, were still fighting and when Park were instantly pinged again for not releasing, the ball was hoofed into the Park 22 for the visitors to set up a massive attack. It looked as if Park had survived the worst Blaydon could throw at them until the ball went to Dave Sheldon, who has to be the tallest winger in the League, towering above the second row, and he got over in the corner to bring the score back to 21-18. Both sides had further opportunities before the half time whistle intervened.

Park started the second period strongly, forcing a panic clearance and threatening the line. Blaydon hit back, but a great run out of defence by Edwards looked likely to bring dividends for Park. However, it was the home team who blinked first when an error allowed centre David Clark in to put his side ahead on 47 minutes, Baggett’s conversion stretching the score to 25-21.

Park came storming back, winning a penalty wide to the left which, for once, Laidlaw missed. Relief was short-lived for the visitors who sinned again in an almost identical spot: Laidlaw doesn’t miss twice. Three minutes later, Park were back in front when a superb individual try from Will Robinson used both his strength in breaking a tackle and guile in running to make the line, to also bring up the 4-try bonus. Laidlaw added the extras and Park had a 31-26 lead into the last 20 minutes.

Park set about putting a bigger margin between themselves and their visitors and they were helped when a high tackle saw centre Charles Incledon sent to the sin bin. It did not look deliberate, but it was careless, blatant and in front of the referee. Park capitalised when Blaydon sinned again in a kickable position, and skipper Mark Lock took the pragmatic decision to ask Laidlaw to kick for goal, thus leaving Blaydon to score more than a try to win with less than 9 minutes remaining.

Blaydon threw everything into attack but Park nearly hit them with a counter-punch when Mantella kicked long up the wing and chased after it, but the ball found touch first. Back came Blaydon and, winning a kickable penalty, kicked to the corner and the visiting pack showed exactly how to perform the catch and drive for Hall to bag his second try to bring things back to 34-30 with 6 minutes left.

Things then got distinctly hairy for Park when Luke Campbell was yellow-carded, leaving Park to play out the last 5 minutes a man short. It was – in truth – the situation and not anything on the field that led to palpitations. Park denied Blaydon another chance, and, on the balance of play, deserved their narrow victory.  Park already knew that you cannot take any team for granted at this level, but if they had needed reminding then Blaydon certainly did that.

Park: Edwards; Mantella, Shabbo, Lewis (Robinson), Unseld; Laidlaw, Barr; Ovens, Richmond, Ward; Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot (Rowland), Barrett (Campbell), Lock

Subs not used: Graham, Baxter.

Park scorers: Edwards (2T), Mantella (T), Robinson (T), Laidlaw (2P, 4C).

Saturday 26th November 2011

Birmingham & Solihull 12  Rosslyn Park 59

A superb performance by Rosslyn Park left Birmingham & Solihull effectively chasing shadows. On the rare occasions they were allowed to settle the “Bees” looked as if they could play a bit, but Park’s tigerish tackling allowed the visiting forwards to create a platform from which their backs caused mayhem. In the very first minute Park turned over possession for full-back Nev Edwards to burst through and pass outside where John Rudd did the rest to score on the right. Ross Laidlaw defied a strong diagonal wind in Birmingham’s favour to land a good conversion for 7-0.

Worse was to come for the home side, who had barely settled when scrum half Graham Barr got the ball in midfield and noticed a clear path to the line in front of him. He had to make a couple of shifts of direction and gear to shake off his pursuers, but he made it to increase the lead to 12-0 after only 3 minutes. This time the wind won the battle to divert Laidlaw’s conversion attempt.

A rare incursion by the home side won – and missed – a penalty before Park were back at them. Paul Unseld tried a chip through, but it was too far ahead of him and was returned with interest on the wind. Dom Shabbo made a great run through the middle and probably should have passed outside rather than inside. But Park were unstoppable anyway, forcing a scrum from which Chris Lewis made an incisive run through the middle; the ball was recycled via Laidlaw across to the right where Rudd was able to return the compliment for an earlier “assist” by putting in Edwards. Laidlaw’s superb conversion made it 19-0 on 15 minutes.

The “Bees” may have been heavily out-gunned but they never gave up and fired a warning salvo when Park were pinged for not releasing and a missed tackle on Park’s left flank allowed flanker Matt Reeves to gallop in to score, well converted by Daniel Hawkes to peg back the deficit to 19-7.

Park were straight back at them and eventually Lewis brought about a score with a strong run and a pass out to Unseld, who scored a classic winger’s try. There really was no gap in the corner when he flung himself at the line, and he may have landed outside the field of play, but at the instant he touched it down the ball was the only thing in contact with the ground, in play, and the touch judge was right on the spot to unhesitatingly confirm the try. The wind gained an equaliser in its battle with Laidlaw’s conversion attempts, but Park had pocketed their 4-try bonus point after only 27 minutes.

The Bees battled gamely and looked nailed on to score when an all-out attack pinned Park back close to their line and visiting prop Lorne Ward was shown the yellow card, with 5 minutes to half time. But Park won the ensuing scrummage short-handed and when Rudd eventually ran out of defence to the sanctuary of half way the chance had gone.

Starting the second half a man short, Park attacked from the off, banged a penalty to the corner but spoiled the chance by knocking on.  However, they soon gained another penalty and this time retained possession from the throw and moved the ball inside from where Dom Shabbo scampered over, his try converted by Laidlaw with barely 5 minutes of the half gone.

Back to full-strength, the visitors began to really assert. A super run through the middle by Edwards ended with the ball lost, but it was soon regained and when Park drove over it was Ward who had gone from villain to hero with the score.

Two minutes later came the try of the match, which had even the home supporters cheering. Unseld received the ball just inside his own half with nothing looking “on”. But he just lit the after-burners and went for it, sheer pace and the odd high speed shimmy defying tacklers before he dived full length to score beneath the posts. Laidlaw’s conversion made it 45-7.

Credit to Birmingham, they kept trying and their efforts were rewarded with a good try from number 8 Mark Hopley after an attack up the right saw the ball passed inside along the line and he crashed over. But that’s as good as it got for the Bees.

All credit to them Birmingham still really went for it, but in a way that made the charge of the light brigade look tactically astute. They left a yawning gap for Park to hack the ball on into their half, where replacement Miles Mantella hared away virtually unchallenged: his first touch of the ball after coming on was to kick it on further and the second to pick it up at full speed and score. Laidlaw converted.

Unable to take the hint, four minutes later and another yawning gap, Mantella again sauntered away to score completely unchallenged. Laidlaw’s conversion made it 59-12 and set the seal on a thoroughly good afternoon’s work.

Park: Edwards; Unseld, Shabbo (Mantella), Lewis, Rudd; Laidlaw; Barr (Baxter);  Ovens, Gotting, Ward (Huggett); Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot (Campbell), Barrett, Lock

Sub (did not play): Richmond

Park scorers: Unseld (2T), Mantella (2T), Rudd (T), Barr (T), Edwards (T), Shabbo (T), Ward (T), Laidlaw (7C).

Saturday 19th November 2011

Rosslyn Park 40  Sedgley Park 18

It’s not how much of the ball you have, but how you use it that counts: a lesson Rosslyn Park handed out to Sedgley Park at Roehampton on Saturday. The ‘Tigers’, from Manchester, had the ball for a greater proportion of the match overall than did their hosts but – in the face of some good tackling, and perhaps to a certain extent their own lack of ideas – they still found it difficult to consistently cross the gain line, and only rarely visited the home 22. By contrast Rosslyn Park always looked both dangerous and full of ideas, particularly as they pulled away in the second half.

From the start a period of Sedgley possession yielded little, but when home centre Dom Shabbo picked up the ball at speed some smart interplay with Nev Edwards and Steve Parsons sent lock Dan Lloyd-Jones through to score, converted by Ross Laidlaw for 7-0 on five minutes.

Almost from kick off, a good kick by Robinson had play back in the visitors’ 22 but this time the defence prevailed.

Sedgley had their best period of play where they camped on the home 5 metre line, but without looking able to penetrate the defence. However they did not return empty handed when centre Matt Riley slotted over a 17th minute penalty, for 7-3. Then four minutes later the same player took advantage of a rare instance of slack tackling to slice through the home defence and convert his own clever try to put the visitors 7-10 in front after 21 minutes.

Stung, Rosslyn Park were straight back on the attack, Edwards bursting through the middle but his pass outside unluckily bisected the two players wide of him. The pressure built up with a series of pick-and-drives; Sedgley defended well but had no answer when the ball was whipped along the line, then back inside where Steve Parsons lurked in front of the posts to run a good diagonal line to score. Laidlaw converted for 14-10 on 29 minutes.

Sedgley were far from finished but a long period of attacking possession failed to produce a scoring opportunity until the home defence sinned and Riley stepped up to nail the penalty to bring his side to within a point, with 5 minutes to the interval.

This again served only to stir the home side. A couple of good runs from John Rudd nearly bore fruit, a penalty was hammered to touch inside the visitors’ 22 and Sedgley were sufficiently pressurised at the scrum to yield a free kick in dangerous territory. Just as it looked as if the defence had held out some quick recycling saw Shabbo scamper over to score out wide. Laidlaw’s narrow miss at the conversion attempt was the last play of the half and saw Rosslyn Park take a 19 – 13 lead into the second period.

Sedgley Park emerged fired-up for the second half, but again looked to be short on ideas as to how to convert this into points. But then centre Fergus Owen received the ball and found a way around the outside of the defence up his right wing to score for 19 – 18, a rare lapse in a generally tight defence, but Riley could not quite manage the conversion.

Just as it looked as if a tight match might be in prospect Rosslyn Park found a couple of gears they had in reserve. A superbly executed rolling maul sucked bodies in, getting deep into Sedgley territory before forcing a penalty. Laidlaw kicked it to touch and from the catch and drive hooker Dan Richmond was bundled over to score, Laidlaw adding the extras to extend the lead to 26-18 after 50 minutes.

Rosslyn Park were now beginning to fire. Nick Huggett wrested possession in open play, presenting the ball to Laidlaw whose superb diagonal grubber kick took his team right back to the danger area. A penalty 11 metres into the Sedgley half grazed the post. Eventually a drive into the 22 saw the ball passed out wide on the right where Miles Mantella streaked over to score, extending the lead to 33-18 with Laidlaw’s conversion.

It now really was all Rosslyn Park. A great move up the right nearly paid off, but Mike Baxter had put a foot in touch. Midfield possession was turned over and the ball released to Rudd but the winger was forced into touch just as the try looked likely. Prop Laurence Ovens even tried a deft grubber kick over the goal line but a defender got there first. From a scrum just outside the 22 Rudd looked certain to score but the referee – extremely harshly – ruled there had been “crossing”.

Sedgley, out-gunned but still game, tried to get back but knew it was not their day when, pressurised at their own scrum, the ball emerged in the wrong place, was hacked on by Rosslyn Park for Miles Mantella to run after it, add a more subtle kick of his own before scooping the ball up at full tilt to hare over the line. A wide angled conversion from Laidlaw was the final kick of the match at 40-18.

Park: Edwards; Parsons (Mantella), Shabbo, Robinson, Rudd; Laidlaw; Barr (Baxter); Huggett, Richmond, Ward (Ovens); Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Rowland (Lock), Campbell (Barrett), Trayfoot.

Park scorers: Mantella (2T), Lloyd_Jones (T), Parsons (T), Shabbo (T), Richmond (T), Laidlaw (5C)

Saturday 12th November 2011

Fylde 10  Rosslyn Park  16

Rosslyn Park climbed to third place in the table with their best performance of the season so far, away to second club Fylde in a match that was a credit to National One rugby. The Lancashire side play the sort of open, attacking, enterprising rugby one associates with their coach, Brian Ashton, and were clearly a very useful side indeed. But Park put on a show of such commitment and discipline, allied to a clear edge in the scrum, that they fully deserved their win.

Park soon served notice that they were not here just to make up the numbers, having the lion’s share of early attacks and earning a penalty with which Ross Laidlaw gave his side a 3 point lead.

Fylde came back at them, clearly prepared to run the ball from pretty well anywhere. Park’s tackling in midfield was of the highest order – it had to be – restricting the real chances their opponents could create. The back row were magnificent, despite the early loss through injury of Stan McKeen. Having turned over possession, their backs always looked dangerous enough to keep Fylde honest.

However there was little Park could do to prevent Fylde’s try in the 12th minute, a brilliant run through the defence by fly half Richard Kenyon was halted by a last ditch tackle, but not before he off-loaded for left winger Ollie Brennan, popping up in the middle, to cruise through under the posts, Kenyon converting the superb try he created.

It looked as if it might be a long afternoon for Park as Fylde set about trying to press home their advantage, but the defence was robust and a clear edge in the set pieces kept them well in the game. A good defensive kick led to Park regaining the ball in Fylde territory and John Rudd going on a run that saw him hand off a defender with such force that the first part of the poor chap’s anatomy to touch the ground was his backside. His pass was knocked on, but Park were well in the match.

A great run out of defence by Dom Shabbo nearly put Rudd away again but this time Park were penalised. Fylde’s free-flowing rugby always looked dangerous, and twice last ditch tackles came to Park’s rescue, and a neat piece of fielding by Nev Edwards cleared a dangerous looking attack. Park were creating chances of their own at the other end, and Fylde, clearly frustrated by the quality of the visitors’ tackling, were beginning to incur penalties for technical offences which allowed Park to make further incursions. A dangerous looking attack up the left started by Edwards ended with a penalty, providing an opportunity for Laidlaw to reduce the deficit to 7-6 after 32 minutes.

Both sides had further chances before Fylde, under pressure in their own 22, belted the ball out of play to end the first period.

If the first half had been as much about containment as about attacking, Park clearly set their stall out after the interval to win the match, enjoying a clear advantage in territory and possession from the start, though Fylde were still very much a threat with ball in hand. The decisive moment came when, having threatened all afternoon, Rudd scored the sort of try that only he could have brought off. Receiving the ball outside the 22 he ran a great line through the middle – not so much evading tackles as refusing to recognise them – for a super score, converted by Laidlaw to put Park in front by 13-7.

Park were soon back at them, courtesy of another dynamic run through the middle, and Fylde’s cause was not helped by a steadily mounting penalty count against them. As Park attacked again with 15 minutes remaining, the home side stopped the move illegally and lock Paul Arnold was sent to the bin, making his side’s task even more difficult. Park opted to scrummage at the penalty and drove the reduced pack back, way beyond their own line, but to Park’s dismay the referee was unconvinced that they had grounded the ball in doing so, and on the re-start Fylde eventually cleared.

Park were soon back, and another penalty on 68 minutes saw Laidlaw put his side 16-7 ahead, leaving Fylde to score more than a converted try if they were to save the match. They threw everything at it but magnificent defending, and to an extent their own indiscipline, denied them a realistic prospect of a score until a penalty deep into injury time. With no time left for a re-start, Kenyon pragmatically chose to slot it over to claim a losing bonus point for his side.

This really was a top notch performance by Rosslyn Park in which every single player stood up to be counted. Is it the start of something big? Only time will tell.

Park: Edwards; Parsons, Shabbo, Robinson, Rudd; Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr); Ovens, Richmond, Ward; Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; McKeen (Rowland), Campbell (Barrett), Lock

Subs (did not play): Huggett, Mantella

Park scorers: Rudd (T), Laidlaw (3P, C).

Rosslyn Park 33 Stourbridge 24

Saturday 5th November 2011

Plucky Stourbridge pushed Rosslyn Park all the way, but could not prevent their hosts from securing the win and 4-try bonus that sends them to fourth place in National One. The visitors’ reputation as a hard-scrummaging side went before them, and it was soon put to the test, Park emerging with a penalty. Ross Laidlaw’s long range shot hit the post.

Two further scrum engagements were resolved in Park’s favour, and when John Rudd ran a simple angle from the centre of the 22 to score almost unchallenged, at 5-0 after 4 minutes Park could have been forgiven for thinking this might not be their most challenging afternoon. Laidlaw’s conversion attempt again shook the upright.

After a visiting attack was comfortably defended, Park returned to the attack, working the ball out to the right but the final pass was high and Rudd could only knock-on into touch with his upstretched fingertips.

The home side continued to have the better of exchanges and increased their lead on 15 minutes after a beautiful piece of play by centre Will Robinson saw a dummy send the defender one way while a deft inside pass sent Steve Parsons through on the other. The predatory winger does not need prompting in such circumstances and galloped over. Laidlaw’s conversion made it 12-0 on 15 minutes.

Stourbridge never gave up trying and their efforts were rewarded with a penalty on the 22 which winger Jamie Hearn slotted over for 12-3 on 24 minutes.

Park were soon back at them and a very smart move saw the ball whipped across the field for a ‘score’ on the left to be (correctly) disallowed for a forward pass. But Park were now well on top and a siege on the Stourbridge line saw skipper and number 8 Mark Lock finally make the breach, Laidlaw adding the extras for 19-3 on the half hour.

Park continued to attack and forced two further penalties with which the dependable boot of Laidlaw kept the scoreboard kept ticking over as the lead stretched to 25-3. In the final moments of the half the visitors put together a couple of sweeping backs moves, and applied their first real pressure, but when the final player in the line was comfortably tackled into touch that was the end of the half.

If the fourth try for a bonus point looked a foregone conclusion for the second half then Stourbridge had other ideas. They came out firing on all cylinders, while Park seemed suddenly to be short of the full range of gears. Park gave as good as they got in terms of possession and territory, but the definite edge they had in the first period seemed inexplicably blunted.

Just as it seemed the home defence had coped with the best the visitors could throw at them, number 8 Matt Thomas bludgeoned his way over, Hearn adding a conversion for 25-10 after 51 minutes, offering Stourbridge a chink of light.

That provoked a reaction, and a great run by stand-in full-back Nev Edwards took Park back to the Stourbridge end, but trade was now on more even terms. Stourbridge’s attacks perhaps lacked the real menace shown by the home backs, but when they got to the other end the bludgeon, this time in the form of flanker James Rodley, was just as effective giving Hearn a simple conversion for 25-17 and Stourbridge looked to be back in it with a chance with 11 minutes remaining.

Park almost immediately found their missing gear, surged back onto the attack to win a penalty in front of the posts, which Laidlaw chipped over for 28-17, leaving the visitors needing 2 tries in 7 minutes. This would have been fine, had not Park then donated them a staggeringly easy try. Stourbridge skipper and lock, Ben Hughes, received the ball wide on the right and with nothing else on decided to try to run round the outside of two defenders, and must have been as surprised as anyone when neither managed to tackle him, and continued his unchallenged perambulation to close enough to the posts to give Hearn a straightforward conversion for 28-24 with 4 minutes left.

Park never looked like losing. They went up through the gears again and the visitors had no answer to a good move that sent in Chris Lewis for the fourth try that gave Park their bonus point and – cruelly – cancelled out that of the visitors for losing by less than 7. Park could, and probably should, have won a shade more comfortably but when you start carping about 5-point wins to climb the league, perhaps they really are getting somewhere!

Park: Edwards (Lewis); Parsons, Shabbo, Robinson, Rudd; Laidlaw; Baxter (Barr); Ovens, Richmond, Ward; Lloyd-Jones, Anderson; Trayfoot (Rowland), Campbell (Barrett), Lock.

Sub not used: Huggett

Park scorers: Rudd (T), Parsons (T), Lock (T), Lewis (T), Laidlaw (3P, 2C)