MACC ROLL ON AT WAGON LANE

Macclesfied RUFC continued their impressive start to the season with a well deserved win at Bradford and Bingley’s Wagon Lane. In a game that at times struggled to flow, Macclesfield put in a dogged workmanlike performance to take their first four points on the road.

 Macclesfield dominated possession and territory from start to finish. A poor kick off by Bradford gifted Macclesfield a scrum on the half way line and they showed their intent with a good attacking move down the blindside which ended deep in the Bradford half. But the first 20 minutes of the game struggled to really get going with both sides coughing up possession and the referee making good use of his whistle.

After a period with lots of tactical kicking out of hand by both sides the first points of the game came in the 25 minute, when the robust Dan Baines forced a penalty for not releasing after good work on the ground. Skipper Ross Winney stepped up to calmly take the points on offer to put Macclesfield into a 0-3 lead. Five minutes later, the Blues found themselves under pressure for the first time in the game, with Bradford keeping the ball well for a number of phases to put fly half Matt Booth in a position to fizz a drop goal just over the bar to level the scores. Straight from the restart Bradford broke the Macclesfield line through veteran centre Phil Greaves leaving the Macclesfield team scrambling back in defence. The pressure told and Macclesfield conceded a penalty for going in at the side of a ruck. Bradford confidently opted for the scrum and proceeded to pick and drive until hooker Peter Scott forced his way over under a mass of bodies. The try was converted by Booth to give the home side a 10-3 lead after 35 minutes.

The Blues showed good character to instantly hit back. A good burst from the base of the scrum  by newcomer Craig Smithson saw Macclesfield work the short side to set Man of the Match Fergus Mulchrone free down the wing, with only the full back to beat he timed his pass to perfection to Luke Fowles and sent him in for a great try on debut. Winney as ever added the extras to bring the scores back level.

Macclesfield continued to dominate at this point and made good in roads with a clever short lineout by Pete Allen and then a barnstorming run by Dan Baines. However a penalty conceded for coming off their feet at the ruck cost Macclesfield another try scoring position. With Winney marshalling the troops around the field with good tactical kicking, Macclesfield were soon applying pressure again resulting in another well struck Winney penalty on the stroke of half time, to take the Blues in with a 10-13 half time lead.

In the second half Macclesfield’s superior fitness showed and they controlled the game well with long periods of possession and territory. The Blues could have and probably should have picked up more points, with good running and support playing putting them in try scoring positions, only for the last pass to let them down. A further try was added on the 56th minute, when a well worked strike move by the backs put Josh Fowles on the outside of the Bradford centres who then fed a pass to Fergus Mulchrone hittinga good line at pace to leave him with only the full back to beat which he did confidently. Again Winney tagged on the extras with a conversion from wide out.

Macclesfield were guilty of switching off from the kick off, which led to them conceding a penalty and Booth stepped up for Bradford to add the three points. This was Bradford's first visit into the Macclesfield half since the break, taking the score to 13 – 20 in Macclesfield’s favour. Macclesfield dominated the remainder of the game and Winney added a further six points with a well struck drop goal and a further penalty to take his match tally to 16 and the score to 13-26 to Macclesfield.

Realistically Macclesfield should have put more of their chances away and put more points on the board. They benefited heavily from Bradford’s mistakes and indiscipline which constantly gifted them possesion and territory. After the match Macclesfield coach Andy Northey said he was “Very satisfied to win away from home in a game that didn’t always go our way. We dominated possession and found a way to win the game without hitting top form.”

Macclesfield continue their National three campaign with a game at Priory Park next week against Preston Grasshoppers.

Team: M Devine, P Allen, B Robinson, I Lear, A Marsh, D Baines, C Jones, C Smithson, J Walker, R Winney, L Fowles, R Hughes, R McDermott, J Fowles, F Mulchrone.

Replacements: S Goodfellow, O Hewitt, S Moss, P Macey, F Barker.