By David Wilkinson
Redruth Rugby Club, has long been the bastion of Cornwall, Hell Fire Corner, the antithesis of a friendly crowd; intimidation has been their meat-and-drink since the food wars of the nineteenth century. Prior to Saturday’s contest, Redruth launched their new book: ‘Hellfire-Awaits-150 Years of Redruth RFC’. It’s an intimidation that every visiting club expects, including Macclesfield, during several previous encounters. But the hyperbole doesn’t necessarily adversely affect the players; they can turn the game-time hullaballoo to their advantage.
This will be the last of the ridiculously long journeys for 2024. The boys in blue minimised the traffic fatigue, by travelling most of the way on Friday evening, but there is no denying this is another big trip for Macclesfield; that had the solitary support of stalwart Clive Hammond.
Dan Leake gets Macc’s first score
It was all Macclesfield, in the opening exchanges, but this week the possession was converted into points. Redruth kicked directly into touch, after the kick-off, giving Macc a lineout on 30 metres. Tuesday night’s training had paid off, and the ball was taken cleanly off the top. It was first spun out to the right, and when it came back left, Ben Blackburn charged, before slipping the ball to Harry Hughes, who fed the ball to Dan Leake for the first score, with Harry Oliver converting the extras. Macc had started at a blistering pace, with a try that had been executed at high speed.
Ben Blackburn palms the ball down
Play exchanged hands several times, with Redruth bagging a penalty goal; Macclesfield’s malaise at the lineout had sadly continued, with several opportunities spurned through inaccuracy; but a penalty just inside Macc’s half would change that; it looked like Macc were shaping up for a kick to touch, but Mason Winterburn played the ball to himself, making good ground with Harry Oliver; when the ball was played back to the left, Tom Farrell made twenty yards; when the ball was recycled, Winterburn darted left then right to find Harry Oliver on an angled line, to bisect the Redruth Second Rows. It was another well executed score to make it 3 – 14, after 18 minutes.
Hell-Fire Corner screams on the Redruth juggernaut
Redruth hit back hard; their big forwards were beginning to get the upper-hand in the exchanges, as they trundled towards Macc’s line. An attack came down the left, with the ball ping-ponging in all directions, it appeared that the Cornish team had scored, but the Referee brought the ball back to the right, for a penalty advantage. Redruth executed a powerful catch-and-drive at the lineout, leaving some of the Macc pack in their wake, Ben Blackburn tried to get back behind the driving maul, but he was forced to rejoin from the side; the Referee quite rightly forced him to leave the field for ten minutes. At the ensuing penalty Redruth’s powerful forwards were un-stoppable, it was 12 – 14 after 26 minutes.
Macclesfield nullified the next attacking phase from Redruth, but were penalised for a crocodile role at an attacking ruck. Redruth attacked from the penalty lineout, and while Macc appeared to just about contain them, there had been an infringement; a scrummage was chosen instead of a penalty kick, and the attacks that followed were again too powerful to halt them, with the number 8 crossing on the left, 17 – 14.
Harry Oliver on a big carry
It took a mere 90 seconds for the next score, a clean catch from the restart, and eight phases, that ate up the 60 metres to yield another score for Redruth’s strong running forwards, 24 – 14. Macclesfield won a penalty on Redruth’s 22 and chose to scrummage, the tactic worked as they attacked well from the set-piece, but were then penalised for holding-on to the ball. The first half petered-out without another score.
The second half started with Redruth in the ascendancy, although Macc won a penalty at the scrum, a welcome change after Redruth had been in firm control during the first half. The Cornish players won back control, and bludgeoned their way to Macc’s 22. There was a team warning on the penalty count, although there had only been two in the second half. At the next maul the Referee, who had been excellent, yellow-carded James Oliver for: “clearly being never onside”; what he clearly hadn’t seen was the Redruth player clearly preventing him from getting onside; it was a cruel blow at a critical time. With a 5-metre lineout the outcome was almost academic, the catch-and-drive was clean, and Macc’s 7 was no match for Redruth’s powerful 8, 29 – 14.
Tom Farrell darts through a gap
Macclesfield were determined to keep the ball in play, they spurned opportunities to kick to touch, as their lineout was still proving to be flaky, and the tactic was working. They made good ground, with fast hands and rapid recycles. Mason Winterburn was very good at keeping the ball alive, but when he took a quick tap-penalty in their 22, and was tackled within two strides, the referee played-on; the ball was lost and Redruth gained relief!
Several phases led to a Redruth penalty which took play into Macc’s half, the lineout throw cleared the lineout and Redruth charged on. After several more phases another penalty set up an attacking lineout for the hosts. This time there was no catch-and-drive, a quick ball off the top was fed to the Inside Centre on an acute crash-ball; his angle took him away from any would be tackler, including the evading Referee, 34 – 14.
Harry Oliver goes over for the third try
The exceedingly robust Redruth number 4 made his only mistake of the match at the restart, giving Macclesfield the scrum. Macc went through six phases and 17 passes until the ball came back to the left for Harry Oliver to muscle over, 34 – 19.
Following the restart Redruth were close to scoring again, until they infringed; they would not touch the ball again for the remaining 10 minutes. Macc were determined to keep hold of the ball running it out of defence, when they broke through, one of the Macc Flankers kicked ahead, forcing the Full Back to play the ball, he passed to the left wing, who knocked on, before then throwing the ball into touch. What followed was the Referee’s, possible, second mistake; whilst confirming with his Assistant what had happened he awarded a penalty, but no yellow card!
Harry Harding showing his determination
What followed was reminiscent of Henry V’s siege on the walls of Calais: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more”, but the Cornish held their line, it seemed inevitable that the-boys-in-blue, would cross for their bonus-point score, but the boys in red held firm; OK they did give away what seemed like half a dozen penalties, before going down to 14 men, but they got away with it! Eventually time ran out for Macc; they were exceedingly unlucky not to get a bonus-point, and the final score flattered Redruth, their big pack had taken their opportunities, and to be fair had defended very well at the end, but Macc had played the lion’s-share of the rugby.
Although I’ve not had the benefit of speaking to the Coaches, it would seem that the lineout is still work in progress, what was good to see was that the boys adapted their game accordingly. It was a baptism of fire for debutant Ryan Barratt, playing the full 80, and Sam Adu did a great job at Outside Centre. On Saturday we welcome Taunton to Priory Park; it may be a first, but there again President Peter Harper will know better!
