Macclesfield 4′s 27 – 17 – Tyldesley 3′s Taking the field after becoming champions of Division 5 South the previous week the squad was eager to create history, the 4th have never before been in a final. The trophy was the Raging Bulls Plate held at Stockport Rugby Club. Starting off at a very brisk pace, entirely bossing the first five scrums to the extent they shoved the opposition 15 yards each time. Their line out was working well with [...]
Blues conceded seven tries on their way to a 44-19 defeat away to Wharfedale as their second season in National League One ended in disappointment. Matt Owen, Richard Hughes and Franky Barker touched down for the visitors as Blues slipped to a 14th loss of the season.
A second half revival which saw Blues score 24 unanswered points sealed a 35-31 victory over Cinderford for a first win in seven outings. A pair of tries from Franky Barker either side of half time, and further scores from Josh Fowles, Charlie Mulchrone and Ryan Parkinson sealed a bonus point for a 19th time this season.
Blues trip across the channel ended in despair as five second half tries consigned them to a 39-0 annihilation at the hands of league leaders Jersey. Despite having a player sent to the sin-bin, the home side were impeccable in defence and took advantage of every mistake made by Blues.
Blues Club Captain Ross Winney’s injury time penalty sealed a much deserved 34-34 draw with promotion chasing Ealing at Priory Park. Tries from Charlie Mulchrone, Tom Mantell, Josh Fowles and Eddie Stobart saw Blues in front for long periods of the game, but a second-half resurgence from the Trailfinders saw the home side chasing the game in the closing moments.
Second half yellow cards for Jack Moorhouse and Ryan Parkinson saw Blues slip to a fourth successive defeat as they lost 41-27 away at Blackheath. Edd Stobart provided a shining light with a superb try double while Franky Barker sealed the try bonus point with the last play of the match, but it wasn’t to be enough to prevent a fourth straight defeat.
Tries from Sam Moss, Martin Kent and two from Jack Moorhouse were not enough to provide Macclesfield with the result they wanted against Birmingham and Solihull under the floodlights at Priory Park.
A second half capitulation against Fylde saw Macclesfield Blues squander a strong position to slip to back to back defeats for the first time since November. Having lead 23-10 five minutes into the second half but 38 unanswered points from Fylde saw the game end 48-23 to consign Blues to a third defeat in four matches.
Macclesfield coach Andy Northey expressed his dissappointment after Blues slipped to a 19-17 defeat agaisnt Rosslyn Park – a second narrow loss in three weeks. Blues were ahead with less than a quarter of the match to go thanks to tries from Dean Williams and Josh Fowles, but a last gasp penalty from Mike Baxter allowed Park to take the spoils at Priory Lane.
Macclesfield director of rugby and head coach Geoff Wappett hailed his side’s versatility as Blues won 40-10 against Coventry at Priory Park.
