By David Wilkinson
Macclesfield’s visit to Clifton earlier in the season had exposed the challenge that the Cheshire side faced in National Two West, there was a gulf between the two sides on the day, with the Bristol side scoring 35 unanswered points in the first half. They travelled up to Macclesfield on Friday evening, for their first visit to Priory Park in their 152-year history, no doubt expecting more of the same.
The opening exchanges were fairly even, with most of the play taking place in the middle quarter of the field, with possession exchanging hands several times; although the Boys in Blue did have to repulse two sorties into their 22. Macc pressed and forced Clifton to infringe, Harry Oliver made no mistake converting to take a three-nil lead on 9 minutes. A lineout on halfway was won by Clifton, which got them firmly onto the front foot; and fast hands led to a half-break by the Inside Centre, Marcus Nel, which pulled Macc’s defence in-field, resulting in an overlap out wide, and a try for Full Back Alex Howman.
Macc responded at the restart, going patiently through the phases, pressurising Clifton in their half to hold on at the ruck. Harry Oliver converted the penalty from 40 metres, after 29 minutes.
Macclesfield took their foot off the gas, after the restart, until Tumy Onasanya, a dynamic Loosehead Prop on loan from Sharks, showed his determination with a solid charge, but Macc were too slow to support and penalised. Referee David Woods, awarded Macclesfield a free kick at the resulting lineout, which Tom Farrell made good use of with a tumbling grubber-kick, which ultimately resulted in a dropkick restart from the goal line. The Boys in Blue were back on the attack, with strong runs from Harry Hughes and Harry Oliver making good ground, but the home side were penalised at the breakdown. It was an easy opportunity for 3 points, but the Clifton players were somewhat overconfident and went to the corner. Macclesfield halted the catch-and-drive, winning a scrum and finishing the half in front, 6 – 5. If Clifton thought it was going to be easy, it certainly wasn’t.
Mason Winterburn works the blindside
Following the restart, number 10 Tom Quinlan put up a towering kick that came down on Macc’s 40-metre line; it was uncharacteristically knocked forward into the hands of back-row forward Jay Evans. With the home side at sixes-and-sevens, Clifton found a soft shoulder in the defensive line, and ultimately an overlap, with Centre Matt Smith scoring wide out on the left.
Macclesfield responded immediately following the restart, Tom Farrell telegraphed the play and intercepted a pass on the halfway line. His pace took him clear with Harry Oliver completing the goal with the conversion, Macc were back in front, 13 – 10 after 44 minutes.
Tom Farrell intercepts from halfway to score
Macc continued to impress with cohesive plays through the pack, into the visitor’s half, with two rolling mauls, both making good ground. The Clifton forwards were under the pump but managed to rip the ball from the maul and clear the danger, but it was short-lived. Macc renewed the attack from the lineout, progressing back to the 22, where the visitors infringed at a scrum, presenting easy points for Harry Oliver, 16 – 10 to Macc on 51 minutes.
One of several occasions that Harry Oliver almost got clear
This was the turning point in the contest, the Bristol team put the ball up their jumper – so to speak, and Macclesfield’s frustrated determination to continue the fight was penalised at every discretion by Mr Woods; the penalty count would ultimately be the undoing of The Boys in Blue. Several penalties would get Clifton close. A lineout on 10 metres was clinically executed with their catch-and-drive power play. Hooker George Davey scored in the right-hand corner which was converted by Ollie Milner, 16 – 17 on 58 minutes.
Left Wing Jamie Harrison with a rare touch of the ball
Clifton were now well in charge using their big forwards to make ground, it was more of the same, with Davey scoring his second from a very similar play. It got worse for Macclesfield as Captain James Oliver was yellow-carded for a high tackle, that preceded the score, 16 – 22, after 64 minutes.
Clifton, in control, set up their bonus point try
The players in pink pressed for another score against Macclesfield’s 14 blues. Macc were awarded a scrum 10 metres from their try-line, and the consternation was obvious from the Stand. “With 7 forwards on the field, should we put a back into the scrum to secure the ball.” In retrospect, it should have been yes, as the pack went hurtling backwards over the line, with Jamie Harrison being forced to drop on the ball.
Numerous scrums would follow, but the Macc 14 held out. James Oliver came back on as Harry Harding was also sent to the bin for repeated offences – according to Mr Woods. Several scrums later gave way to a simple penalty for Clifton to take the points and finish the contest.
Captain James Oliver breaks the line on a powerful run
Macclesfield had led, bar the last 16 minutes, when they were down to 14. The visitors got a much tougher contest than expected, it was more like 2nd v 3rd, than 2nd v 2nd from the bottom of the league. It was another valuable point for the boys, as they try to stay in the fight, to stay in the fourth tier. Bournville took a thumping at Camborne, and are now only 3-points ahead. With a game in hand, against Exeter University Students, on Saturday at Priory Park, Macclesfield have every opportunity to leap-frog the Birmingham club.
Man-of-the-Match Ben Blackburn on the charge
