Macclesfield 41

Huddersfield 5

(National II North)

IT WAS always likely to be a tough ask when Huddersfield Rugby Union Club visited National II North title hopefuls Macclesfield.

And so it proved, as the Priory Park side ran in five converted tries, along with two penalties to keep their Championship hopes very much alive while inflicting further damage to Huddersfield’s fractured confidence.

Huddersfield were on the back foot throughout the game and were under threat from the start with Blues skipper Ross Winney knocking over a couple of penalties in the first 14 minutes.

The first try followed sustained pressure on the Huddersfield line with drive after drive being repelled until hooker Sam Moss crossed, Winney claiming the first of his five conversions.

The game then became scrappy and Huddersfield’s second rower Ben Harris received the first of three yellow cards issued by the referee, the second following quickly for Macclesfield lock Alan Marsh.

Just before the interval Macc centre Richard Hughes bagged his side’s second try again converted by Winney to give the home side a comfortable 20-0 lead at the break.

It could have been more but for some determined Huddersfield defence, but they was breached again early in the second half, despite Macclesfield losing prop Tom Mantell to the sin-bin, when Hughes went over for his second try, Winney again adding the two.

Huddersfield finally got on the scoreboard after the ball went through several pairs of hands in a wonderful move from their own 22, which culminated with Nick Sharpe sprinting for the corner for an excellent try, but by then it was little more than a consolation as they already trailed 27-5.

And in the closing stages, Macclesfield rubbed further salt into the wounds by adding two more tries from No8 Jon Keep, following some excellent scrimmaging on the Huddersfield line, and from full-back Rob McDermott, who linked up to outpace the defence and finish off near the posts.

Huddersfield: Owen, Wood, Paxman (B), Johnson, Sutcliffe, Duffy, Clayton; Battye, Davies, Slater, Harris, Sharpe, Lewis, Whitehead, Hyde. Subs: Rhodes, Entressengle, Van Rooyen, Andrews.

Macclesfield: McDermott, Simpson, Hughes, Howcroft, O’Regan, Winney, Eaton, Mantell, Moss, Kent, Marsh, Owen, Baines, Stewart, Keep. Subs: Devine, Latham, Jones, Sayce and Lowdon.