WITH a healthy interval lead Macclesfield might have expected to win this game at a canter.

However, the Blues reckoned without a stubborn fight back by the Lions who can perhaps consider themselves unlucky not to return to Webb Ellis Road with a bonus point.

Macclesfield’s early pressure resulted in a seventh minute penalty which Ross Winney converted to open the scoring. This was followed soon after with the first try of the afternoon when flanker Chris Jones crossed the whitewash.

Winney added the two and opened up a 10-point lead to which he added a penalty just minutes later and at this stage it was all Macclesfield.

However, in their first period of pressure it was the visitors who got on the board when, following a neat chip and collect, winger Jeff Gregson claimed the try which was converted by Jack Green.

Winney added a further penalty to the Blues score and the home side came close again when winger Matt Simpson – who had a solid game throughout – made a good kick and chase which resulted in a Lions infringement and give Winney the opportunity to strike his third penalty.

As the interval beckoned a penalty gave Macclesfield the opportunity of a lineout in the Lions 22 and from the resultant take and drive it was Blues No 8 Jon Keep who claimed their second try of the afternoon and the impeccable 100 per cent record of Winney was maintained for a comfortable 23-7 interval lead.

There was a touch of ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ for the Blues in the second half and for much of the time it was the visitors who were on the offensive.

The game stagnated somewhat until midway through the half and, from a set move, it was Rugby who scored their second try through Joe Marston, who crashed through to score by the sticks, giving Green an easy conversion and give the Lions a sniff of a result.

While that was the end of the scoring the Lions had two late opportunities to gain a bonus point from a double penalty given by the referee for Macclesfield ‘verbal’ transgressions but both kicks from distance were missed and the game ended in fading light with the rain falling in an increasingly strong wind.

Following the game coach Geoff Wappett said, "It was a strange sort of game. We did what we needed to do in the first half and anticipated finishing off the job after the break but we surrendered the initiative and our forwards took the foot off the gas allowing their threes back in the game.

"With a potential banana skin next week we need to get it right."