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A MACCLESFIELD Barbarians squad overcame testing weather conditions to stage a tribute match in memory of James Painton.

The Barbarians, comprising former King’s players and Macclesfield RUFC players, clocked up three wins against the 100-strong Argentinian touring squad La Plata Under-20s in a series of mini-matches.

The huge Argentinian squad, consisting of over 50 players, are on tour in the UK and are fulfilling a commitment to play Macc, partly in honour of the late James Painton.

James, 18, was on tour with a Kings School touring party in Buenos Aires when he was knocked down by a car and killed in the Argentinian capital, on his last night before the party was due to return home.

Out of this tragedy has come a close bond between Macclesfield and La Plata.

With the game scheduled for earlier in the week, matters looked hopeless due to the frozen pitches in the Macclesfield area.

Macclesfield coach and rugby master-in-charge at Kings, Andy Rice, approached Fylde’s Mark Nelson to see if Fylde would be willing to host the game in the more favourable conditions on the Lancashire coast.

Mark agreed even though, at that time, the Woodlands pitches were also heavily frostbound.

By kick-off, the Woodlands main pitch was in excellent condition and the ground was a fine stage on which to play out a series of three mini-games.

Macclesfield Barbarians had a squad of 32 players, including Fylde centre John Embelton and prop Jonny Wild.

The first game of 40 minutes ended in a Barbarians win by 10-5.

The second, 20-minute match finished 12-7 in favour of Macclesfield and the clean sweep was completed by a 20-17 victory in the third match.

More than 80 players took part in a skilful, competitive contest, played in a fine spirit befitting the occasion.

Rice, who played scrum-half for Fylde in the early 1990s, said: "We are all massively grateful to Fylde for agreeing to host this game.

"It would have been very disappointing if we had had to cancel this game.

"La Plata are a fine club, they were Argentinian champions in 2007 and runners-up in 2008.

"This U-20s squad has just come from Spain where they beat the Spanish U-21 national team, so this afternoon has been great."

The Buenos Aires club’s spokesman, Miguel Griffin, said: "The death of James shook everyone at La Plata, as it did at the King’s School, and we wanted to show we are all part of a brotherhood of the game."