In a thriller at Wests Renault Park on Saturday both sides contrived to run the ball and although defensive errors were there from both sides it was a great game, with 12 tries for the neutral observer to enjoy.

Despite defeat the Blues yet again came away with a bonus point for their five tries to maintain fourth spot in National One.

Cambridge kicked off and for the first 13 minutes didn’t handle the ball again as the Blues put in some of the best running seen so far with early tries coming from scrum-half Charlie Mulchrone after a blistering break by full-back Ben Coulbeck with barely two minutes on the clock.

Tom Eaton converted and this was followed six minutes later when skipper Evan Stewart scored the second after good approach work, but the conversion held up in the gale force wind.

Virtually the first time that Cambridge got the ball they showed their intention with a try from scrum-half Ben Spencer.

The Blues then went further ahead with an Eaton penalty before a Jon Keep interception saw him feed backing up winger Josh Fowles who scored wide out to put the Blues 20-5 ahead.

The next phase of the game belonged to the home side as first a charged-down kick resulted in a try for Billy Robinson.

This was followed by another try after a neat kick through was latched upon for Robinson to score his second.

Both were converted and at the break it was the Blues who held a narrow and deserved one-point advantage.

The second half began well for Macclesfield with a penalty by Eaton, increasing the lead to 23-19 but this was responded to by Cambridge stand-off Glyn Hughes after they claimed the ball from the re-start. The conversion saw the home side creep into a slim lead.

Wrong options by the Blues after a Mulchrone break resulted in the move breaking down but it was the visitors who scored their fourth bonus point-securing try when Stewart crashed over at a five-metre scrum. Eaton converted and the Blues nosed in front again at 30-26.

The game then turned when, following an obstruction, Eaton got 10 minutes in the bin and, although the hosts had a penalty try which was converted, the Blues held firm until his return.

However it was the home side who increased their lead as, following a breakaway Will Martin – on loan from Northampton – touched down for a converted try and this was followed two minutes later by another try from an on-loan Saint, No 8 James Ingles.

With a 15-point deficit it looked black for the Blues but they had the final word when centre Tom Davenport drove through the defence for a fifth Macclesfield try, converted by replacement Ross Winney to end the scoring.

Both sides can take great credit for a fast and open game in terrible conditions but both will also be looking at the video to prevent the defensive gaps in future games.