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17 January 2004
Park House II 24 v Footscray 19

What a game, what a game !

Footscray came to Park House as current Merit Table leaders, so this was never going to be anything but a tough match for the home side. In the previous meeting Footscray were 3 tries up within the 1st 15 minutes, but that was not the case this time as Park House started well through the forwards & took the ball down into the opposition 22 several times before the 1st chance for points came from a penalty, duly converted by Sweaty & his trusty right boot. 3 - 0 to the home side.

Footscray came straight back from the restart which was poorly defended by Park, Footscray taking possession into the Park 22, out on the left, away from the club house. The ball was moved right & the fly half, spotting the Park full back was in the line, chipped through, & following his own kick, touched it down over the try line for a 5 - 3 lead. The conversion, despite being simple, was missed, due to the fact that Rob Gan, who had an outstanding match, ran out & put the pressure on the kicker.
The game ebbed & flowed, until Park, retaining the ball well through the phases, moved it left, from a ruck wide out right, to Frost in the centre, who really should have kept it moving left,as there was an overlap, but he chose to run at the Footscray backs & thankfully just made it to the try line, dotting down for a 7 pointer, MacCallum adding the extras. 10 - 5.

Park now entered a strong phase, & fairly quickly, the pack had picked & driven their way to about the Footscray 10 metre line, again wide right, when the ball was very quickly & cleanly shipped across the line to Dan Catch, joining the line from full back, who took it on, fed Chris Golder, who despite an attempted neck tackle, which he shrugged off, broke through the last defence & ran it towards the posts for a well finished try. The extra 2 again being added by Sweats. 17 - 5 Park House.

An unforced error gave Footscray the chance to break from deep, & shipping it wide left, they found they had the pace & support to cover 70 metres to bring the score back to 17 - 12 & it was only minutes later that they repeated the move that saw them score their first try, with a well placed chip through the Park defence, well followed up & an, at that stage, well deserved 19 - 17 lead.

The second half was very much like the first in how it ebbed & flowed, but it was here that the bravery of mind & body of Park House showed, particularly demonstrated by Rob Gan's superb defence & the pressure he put on the Footscray fly half. He deservedly walked away with the Man of the Match award. ( Even if he did throw it up in a bowl !!!! )

The only score ( unbelievably ) came when Footscray, in deep trouble, in the bottom left hand corner, attempted to clear, the kick being charged down by Frost, followed up by Rob Hart, who did well to control the ball & ground it. A superb conversion from the touchline by Sweats made it 24 - 19 & thats how it stayed for the 15/20 minutes to the final whistle.

15/20 minutes of very committed rugby.

Well done boys on a well deserved win.