Macclesfield 30 Rugby Lions 12

The Blues kept their season alive with a confident second half display that saw them score 21 unanswered points to beat Rugby Lions on a windy Priory Park afternoon in this re-arranged league game declared ‘on’ after an early morning inspection of what then was a snowbound arena.

Macclesfield kicked off and an early break from Tony Howcroft brought play into the Lions territory before Ross Winney put the home side on the scoreboard with a penalty after just 3 minutes.

However, continuing on from their nine try demolition of ‘Hoppers the previous week, it was Lions who scored next with a flowing move that finished when winger Chris Murphy touched down. The conversion from Lloyd Warner struck an upright before crossing for the two but Winney kept the home side in contention with another penalty after 13 minutes moments after the Blues lost Full Back Phil Macey with a shoulder dislocation after an off the ball tackle which went unseen.

Lions scored again midway through the half when after a line out they drove over for Tristan Wati to claim the final touch. The conversion failed and yet again Winney kept the home side close with another penalty on 25 minutes and the Blues almost scored a try when after good approach and kick through Ollie Hewitt just went into touch on the tackle.

Lions then lost Centre Sam Viggers after a ‘professional foul’ and from the subsequent penalty the ball was quickly run and with an overlap beckoning the ball was knocked on and the score went begging.

As the half closed the Blues applied more pressure but were unable to score and at 12-9 down at the break they were in the game but the Lions had looked the stronger for most of the half with their pack taking on the Blues.

The second half began with a Winney penalty after three minutes to level the scores and thereafter followed twenty minutes of Macclesfield pressure with more strong breaks from Howcroft into the visitors defence and he was stopped just short after one such break. Another Winney penalty made it 15-12 before Lions lost try scorer Wati after foul play.

Winney increased the lead with another penalty before another injury blow struck the Blues when the outstanding Howcroft was stretcherd off with a suspected broken ankle.

The Blues re-arranged themselves and scored their first try shortly afterwards when Flanker Dan Baines touched down after a line out and drive over. The Winney conversion struck a post and bounced out but playing with increasing confidence the home side attacked as the game drew to its close but with just five minutes left Rugby attacked in the home 22 but a wayward pass was intercepted by Chris Jones who outpaced the defence on an 80 metre break to score and put the game to bed. The Winney conversion was the icing on the cake and after the game an understandably happy Steve Mannion said, “I was delighted with the way that the lads came back after last week and the players coming in did a superb job with Dan Brocklehurst and Man of the Match Neil Keane outstanding as well as those who came off the bench. All credit to the forwards – we had a game plan and stuck to it but this is just one win. We need to be like Wales and battle to the end. I am gutted for Phil and Tony whose injuries will probably keep them out until the end of the season – as if we didn’t have enough injuries to cope with!”

Team: Latham, Moss, Collie, Brocklehurst, Keane, Hall, Baines & Hewitt. Rice, Winney, Jones, Howcroft, Mulchrone, Barker, Macey.