AMY PLAYS HER PART, BUT FYLDE SNATCH IT
Macclesfield 19 – Fylde 21
By David Wilkinson
Contests against Fylde are always hard-fought, and this was no exception, although Amy would also have a big hand in the proceedings, making this contest even tougher. She brought gale-force winds that must have reached 80 mph at times, and rain that can only be described as in ‘biblical deluge’ proportions. To that end, it proved tough to play in, with her wind or against.
It couldn’t have been a worse start; Fylde ticked off with the wind behind them, forcing a clearance that made little distance. The catch and drive just got Macc onto their back feet, engaging the back row sufficiently for Hooker Sam Parker to dart around to get over the line without a hand being laid upon him. Hunt slotted the extras for a 7-point lead with the clock with only a minute on the clock.
Following the restart, Fylde cleared from their 22 into Macc’s dead-ball area, which demonstrated the strength of Amy’s puff! At the 2nd scrum for the visitors, Macc demonstrated their superiority at the set piece. It looked like Hulbert, Longmore and Darlington had their opposite numbers on a plate. Two attacks from the boys in blue took them into Fylde’s 22, but the ball was lost forward in the tackle. Fylde collapsed at the scrum, but it was Macc that were penalised. After the penalty, Macc went through numerous phases deep into the opposition’s territory, but then kicked, giving the ball away cheaply. Macc again pressed and attacked deep, but after 4 short throws, it went long at the lineout and was lost. Amy again gave a helping hand with the ball back in Macc’s 22 – and there it would stay! After a barrage of attacks and penalties Macc’s defence was eventually breached, again by number 2, Sam Parker. 0 – 14 with 7 minutes of the half to play.
Kyle Smith makes 40 metres to put Macc in with a chance
With ball-in-hand Macc looked the stronger side, making metres on every carry. They worked their way up-field, winning a penalty close to the posts. Rather than taking the 3 points on offer, they chose the scrum. The solid platform got the ball to left wing Manu Shute, who used his strength and a little guile to get over for the try wide out, 5 – 14. Macclesfield would get another chance before halftime with a lineout on 7 metres, but the throw was telegraphed, and the half was over. Given the wind advantage, Macc appeared to be in a strong position to make up the deficit and forge ahead for the win.
Manu Shute uses his strength to squeeze over the line
It took Macc less than a minute to score. A penalty from the restart created a lineout on the 22. The catch and drive split the Fylde forwards, with a player trying to bring down the rolling maul from an offside position. The Referee had no hesitation in going to his pocket and running between the posts to signal a penalty try;12 – 14.
A chance gone begging as the maul collapses
Macc won yet another penalty at the scrum, taking the ball deep into Fylde’s half. The catch and drive was excellent, but when it turned into a maul and collapsed on 5 metres, it was a scrum to the defending team. Somehow, Fylde got it away from behind their line. But the pressure was still on with a lineout to Macc. With a change of Hooker, throwing to the back seemed to be a strange decision; Fylde had wriggled off the hook. To rapturous applause from a section of the crowd, Austin Ozzie Keogh came on to make his first team debut, and he was immediately involved in defensive duties.
Fylde kept the ball in hand and worked their way deep into the home side’s territory, but a fumble would give Macc relief. Three penalties followed this; the second was taken quickly by Charlie Attis, and when he was tackled prematurely, Fylde were back to 14 again. A successful lineout was driven into the red zone, and when the ball came back right on the blindside, Samon Shute darted over. Harry Oliver converted from the touchline to put Macc in front 19 – 14.
Harry Oliver bisects the posts for Macc’s last score
What followed was a continuous orange and yellow tide that forced Macc, bit by bit, into their 22. After multiple phases, a penalty kick was spurned to keep the ball alive. 17 further phases followed until Macc’s blue line was eventually breached. The goal took the score to 19 – 21 with little left on the clock.
Macc’s utter dominance at the scrum had waned. Rather than winning penalties, they were now being harried and disrupted at the base of the scrum. Twice, Macc had good attacking opportunities from 30 metres out that were not converted. Fylde were determined to finish strongly; their determination at the next ruck proved decisive. After turning Macc over, they took the ball to Macc’s 22 and played keep ball. They cleverly played the clock down, without giving Macc a sniff of the ball again.
MOTM Harry Harding on another charge
Amy played her part, but Fylde were deserved winners. They had exerted enough pressure when it counted to snub out any chance of a last-minute comeback for Macc, and that’s what it took to finally take the 4 points, with Macc earning 1 point. As in all contests between these sides, it was highly competitive throughout, with only a conversion kick separating the scores.
Head Coach, Rhys Davies, was somewhat philosophical after the game: “The attitude of the players was very good, they worked hard for each other, but we did make a few mistakes. That said, you have to give credit to Fylde, how they kept the ball at the end of the game. Whilst we’d done enough to win it, it was a bit of a reality check, given that and the Preston performance, we didn’t warrant five out of five. As for this week, the boys are excited to get out there and get back to winning ways. Hull have a strong pack, and we will have to win the arm wrestle to play our rugby.”
