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We Ken avoid drop

Peter Jones
29/ 3/2006

Nat League 3 (N)
Macclesfield 37
Kendal 10

MACCLESFIELD boosted their survival chances with a vital five-point win against bottom club Kendal at Priory Park.

Against a side who have already been relegated to North One, the Blues ran in five tries in an impressive display which helped the Priory Park outfit move out of the bottom three.

"Once again I am delighted with the commitment shown," said coach Steve Rule. "There were some very good individual performances in the team with Jonnie Keep and Rick Jones being particularly impressive. We had a simple game plan which we stuck to and it worked effectively."

It was clear from the start that the visitors were a much better outfit than the one Macc thrashed 40-3 early in December, and the Blues had to defend stubbornly to keep them out.

Kendal did take the lead through a Chris Park penalty, but the home side hit back through flanker Rick Jones after a good break by Pete Allen. Ross Winney converted to put Macc into a lead which they were never to lose.

Soon afterwards, Tim Kerr stole a Kendal lineout and, after a good forward drive, he popped up again to break through Kendal's defence to score.

Kendal continued to keep the game flowing, taking quick tap penalties and moving the ball wide, and winger John Ladell raced in at the corner for a converted try.

Again, the Blues looked dangerous in possession, and when Winney used his guile to confuse the visitors, winger Jim Watts was on hand to take the pass and go over. Winney again converted, and he added two more penalties to his tally before half-time.

Macclesfield lost lock Will Stockdale to the sin bin, but it did not stop them stretching their lead with a well-taken try from full-back Ben Coulbeck.

The visitors refused to give up, but the strength of the Blues pack proved just too much, and when replacement Ollie Hewitt produced one of his trademark bulldozing runs, Kerr once again appeared on his shoulder to take the glory with the final score.

MACCLESFIELD: Goodfellow (Harrison), Allen (Davidson), Bieniasz, Stockdale, (Hewitt), Kerr, Jones, Keep, Pearson, Mason, Winney, Watts, Bartle (Mason), Howcroft, Boothroyd.