Macclesfield continued their outstanding season with a superb 55–34 bonus-point victory away at Otley, a venue renowned as one of the toughest places to travel in National League rugby. The win delivered five vital league points and further strengthened Macc’s position near the top of the table.
The match began in challenging fashion for the visitors as Otley capitalised on early pressure to establish a 10–0 lead inside the opening minutes. However, Macclesfield responded with impressive composure, steadily regaining control through disciplined phases and a willingness to play with width and tempo.
The centre partnership of Harry Blackwell and Harry Oliver once again proved hugely influential, repeatedly punching holes in the Otley defence. Despite falling two scores behind, Macclesfield showed real resilience to fight back and turn the contest around, taking the lead by half-time and shifting momentum firmly in their favour.
The second half saw Macclesfield fully express their attacking strengths. A high tempo and relentless ball movement stretched Otley’s defence, and the visitors began to pull clear as space opened up across the park. The introduction of fresh legs from the bench helped maintain intensity and ensure Macclesfield finished the game strongly.
Harry Oliver delivered a standout individual performance, crossing for four tries and adding six conversions to finish with a remarkable personal tally of 32 points. His contribution further extends his lead as the top points scorer across all National Leagues. In total, Macclesfield ran in eight tries, continuing their status as the leading points scorers across the National League structure.
The victory also underlined the progress made this season. Having accumulated 54 league points across the entirety of last season, Macclesfield have now surpassed that total at the halfway stage of the current campaign, moving onto 55 points and sitting second in the table. The ability to recover from an early two-try deficit highlighted both the mental strength and growing maturity within the squad.
Otley remained competitive throughout and contributed six tries of their own, but Macclesfield’s clinical edge and sustained attacking pressure ultimately proved decisive.
Post-match Matt Coleridge, Director of Rugby:
“We didn’t start well, couple of poor kicks and we were back under our posts and in an unfamiliar position of being 10 points behind early on, but the lads didn’t panic and stuck to their systems and processes to get a vital five points at what is a very difficult place to go. Otley are a very dangerous side, I personally can count on one hand how many times I’ve been part of a win there. I thought both Harry’s in the centre were great again and Townsend coming off the bench brought the energy we needed to finish it off. It’s a bit of a derby at home next week against Rossendale with some ex-players coming back, and it’s a double header with the 2s, so we’re expecting a big day for the club.”
Player of the Match – Harry Blackwell
What’s Next at Priory Park
This week, Macclesfield are back at home as we welcome Rossendale for a festive derby clash. The Christmas Lunch is now sold out, but we will still be able to accommodate walk-in supporters pre-game before 3:00pm in the SINBIN Bar.
After 3:00pm, all upstairs bars will be open and available to everyone, so there will be plenty of space to enjoy the afternoon and the post-match atmosphere.
Supporters are also encouraged not to miss the King’s Old Boys match taking place on Tuesday 23rd December, with a 6:30pm kick-off. The fixture is in support of the MNDA charity, and the club looks forward to welcoming everyone down for what promises to be a special evening.
