Cooke emerge narrow winners in an error strewn and bad tempered affair at Chambers Park.
The visitors, who had several positional changes, started the game anxiously, conscious of the fact that a bonus point win was essential to stay in the reckoning for league honours. It was Portadown however who had all the play in the opening quarter, requiring resolute defence from the Belfast side.
Portadown had the first opportunity to open the scoring after 15 minutes. Cooke flanker McVicker made a great break but became isolated and was penalised for failing to release when tackled. Out-half Cousins’ kick went wide but ten minutes later the Portadown 10 was on target to give his side a 3-point lead when Cooke were penalised for a late tackle. Cooke’s woes were added to on 30 minutes when winger Withers was the subject of a harsh decision, receiving a yellow card for what was adjudged a dangerous tackle. Murphy’s attempt to level the score just before half time went wide, leaving affairs at the break at 3-0 in Portadown’s favour.
Shortly after the restart Cooke again found themselves a man down. Prop Seawright was ordered to the ‘sin bin’ when taking the law into his own hands as the hefty Portadown forwards frustrated matters by slowing play at the breakdown. The Co Armagh side took immediate advantage as their pack drove Cooke over the line in the corner to claim the first try of the game. Cousins was wide with the conversion.
The ill-tempered nature of the game continued and when a Portadown prop for yellow carded it was Cooke’s turn to take advantage. When ball was cleanly set up in the Portadown 22 the defenders expected Cooke to spread play wide. However, a short pass to tight-head Seawright saw him burst through a gap to touch down close to the posts. Murphy’s conversion left the visitors one point in arrears.
Cooke optimism was however short-lived. Having secured the ball from the re-start, Cooke scrum half Stewart had his clearance kick charged down by his opposite number who carried the ball over for a fine, opportunist try in the corner. Cousins was again off target with the conversion.
As play proceeded into the dying minutes, Portadown reverted to the ‘Munster game’, holding the ball for long periods with some copybook re-cycling by their pack. When Cooke sought to recover the ball illegally, a penalty awarded to Portadown in injury time spelt disaster for the Belfast team. Cousins’ kick however shaved the wrong side of the posts and was collected by his opposite number Murphy who had the intelligence to counter attack from the in-goal area in what was a ‘last throw of the dice’ for Cooke. The visitors worked play up the pitch, releasing centre Mitchell to break away deep into Portadown territory. When caught on the 22m line, it was prop Frazer who was on his shoulder to collect the final pass and out-pace the retreating Portadown defenders.
Murphy’s simple conversion was the last play of the game, giving Cooke a one-point victory Portadown 13 Cooke 14
