Vets Match Reports

10th September 2011

Youthful Stoke too quick for Macc Veterans

Youth triumphed over experience when Macclesfield Vets team entertained a very young Stoke 2nd team at Priory Park on Saturday.

Given the pace and fresh legs in the visitors’ large squad, the outlook seemed bleak for the home team as the visitors quickly took a 14 point lead. However, improved tackling, with the venerable Branch leading by example at full-back, limited the visitors’ first half opportunities and kept the Vets in touch.

After the restart, fresh legs in the form of the influential Mannion and Sherratte, coupled with the physicality of Clark and Davies, helped corral Stoke in their own twenty-two for most of the second half, with a pushover try being Macc’s reward. However two brief forays from the visitors resulted in another 12 points to the youngsters to complete the scoring.

Injured skipper, Wright, was not downhearted by the result, noting some positives as well as some learning points for next week’s opening league encounter with Aspull. In a game well refereed by Pete Harper, no individual was truly outstanding, but there was no hesitation in awarding Man-of-the–match to John Toms, who played well after completing a 12 mile charity run earlier the same day.

3rd September 2011

VETERANS SEE OFF YOUTHFUL SALE

 Macclesfield Vets kicked off their season with a 41-26 victory over visitors, Sale, who brought a third team that was understrength in numbers but not in height and pace.

In the best traditions of amateur rugby, the hosts provided three players to boost the visitors:  Laidlaw, Fearn and Jones all contributed forcefully to Sale’s efforts and found themselves in the lead at halftime as three tries from the pacey opposition backs, coupled with poor Macclesfield tackling, gave the younger side a 21 – 12 advantage.

Macclesfield’s points had come from a cunning restart kick capitalised on by Keeling in a bullocking dash for the line and from Wright, who rounded off a determined drive from the pack.

The restart saw Macc play more to their strengths in the forwards, with Clark scoring his second try and man-of-the match, scrumhalf Harper, also picking up a brace. Although Sale scored a fourth try, the Vets asserted their forward dominance as prop forward, Roberts, galloped over, following sterling work by the pack, led as always by the example of Bostock.

A typical first game of the season encounter, the match was a mix of errors with phases of better play. The Vets were grateful to Sale for travelling to Priory Park and giving them a game, although skipper Wright will want to see a more cohesive performance next week when Stoke Seconds will provide sterner  opposition.