Fylde 12  Macclesfield  10

For the fifth game in succession Macclesfield prevented their opposition scoring after the interval but the four minutes at the end of the first half proved to be the difference between the sides on a blustery afternoon on the Lancashire coast when both Fylde wingers scored the tries which, in the end, gave the home side a hard fought victory.

Whilst the Blues came away with a bonus point results elsewhere meant that the side drop a place in the league table and with just five games left before the end of the season the pressure is on for at least three of those games to be targeted as victories if we are to survive at ‘National league’ level for another season.

The game began with the home side kicking off and the early stages of the game were spent with both sides testing each other with strong drives but when the home threes got a sniff of a chance you could sense the danger but good defence by Macclesfield held them out and but for some poor line out work the Blues could conceivably have scored points but as the first half drew to its close with no scores on the board it was Fylde who made the break when dangerous winger Nick Royle – often a thorn in the side of Macclesfield – finished off on the overlap to score the try and although Armstrong’s conversion went wide it was the home side who scored again two minutes into first half injury time when a misdirected Macclesfield clearance kick was run back and recycled for the other home wingman Olliver Brennand top touch down.  This time the Armstrong conversion was successful and as the half time whistle went it was Fylde 12 Macclesfield 0.

The second half began in falling rain and the Blues kept play in the home 22 but basic errors enabled Fylde to clear their line but just ten minutes into the half a good half break and pass from Mike Newell saw winger Chris Jones power his way over the line for a good try.  Ross Winney converted and at 12-7 Macclesfield were back in contention but again errors including an interception kept the home side on the attack and but for a knock on they could have scored again and despite good Macc pressure no scores came.

As it was Winney narrowed the gap with a penalty on the half hour and the final nervous ten minutes of the game for both sides the result could have gone any which way but in the end it was Fylde who were relieved as the final whistle went to keep them in contention for a possible play off spot.

Team:

Latham, Moss, Collie, Keane, Bostock, Jones R, Baines, Hewitt.  Rice, Newell, Fisher, Hughes, Winney, Jones C, Mulchrone.

Replacements: Lear, Mursal, Kerr, Barker