Macclesfield 33  Loughborough Students  17

The Blues returned to winning ways on a damp and overcast afternoon at Priory Park with a four try display against a Loughborough side that opened and closed the scoring with classic threequarter’s tries but in between the experience of the Macclesfield pack held sway.

Loughborough kicked off with the breeze behind them and immediately retained the ball which was taken into the home 22 where, from a line out, the ball was quickly cycled out to left wing man Simon Lilley who scored unopposed in the corner before the home side got their hands on the ball.

Despite the danger signs when the Lougborough backs got the ball it was the Macclesfield pack that gradually forced the home side back into the game nd the Blues were unlucky not to claim a try but the ball was lost with the line beckoning.  However, following a break by Josh Fowles down the centre, the Blues equalised when Centre Richard Hughes touched down after 18 minutes play. The Ross Winney conversion went wide.

There then followed a period of sustained forward pressure from Macclesfield which was rewarded when Peter Allen claimed the second try on the half hour and with Winney’s conversion this time going over to increase the lead which he added to as the interval beckoned with a penalty to give the home side a 15-5 interval lead.

The second half was but two minutes old when Full Back – Fergus Mulchrone – linked into a good move initiated by Craig Smithson to crash over in the corner and whilst the conversion was missed at 20-5 the Blues had a good hold on the game despite the ever present danger of breakaways by the quicksilver Loughborough backs.

Winney added a penalty to increase the lead before Loughborough got their second try in somewhat controversial circumstances with two forward passes not penalised as No 8 Phillip Burgess scored by the posts for Grant Pointer to convert and at 23-12 the Students were back in with a shout but unlike the previous game it was Macclesfield who pressed on to further scores firstly through a 40 metre drop goal from Jonathan Lowdon and then with just six minutes left on the clock Flanker Dan Baines capped a good forward display with the fourth – and bonus point – try which Winney converted to make it 33-12.

Loughborough had the final word with the game well into injury time with a classic running try when after a quick throw in their 22 the ball was run through several pairs of hands before Centre – James Golledge – finished off after an 80 metre move.  The conversion was wide.

Throughout the game the home pack led by the experienced Nathan Bonner-Evans held the upper hand with strength in the scrum, ruck & maul with the back row all having good games with man of the Match – Chris Jones outstanding.

Head Coach – Geoff Wappett following the game said, “That Loughborough scored so early was an indicator of just what they could do and we played sensibly after that following the game plan of being physical and taking them on to wear them down.  It just shows how different a win can make everyone feel and get confidence back”

Team: Mulchrone, Lowdon, McDermott G, Hughes, Fowles, Winney, Townsend.

Devine, Allen, Robinson, Marsh, Bonner-Evans, Jones, Baines, Smithson.

Replacements: Latham, Moss, Hewitt, Keep & Hardwick