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Bonus points for Blues

20/12/2006

National League 3 North - Macclesfield 27 Morley 13

MACCLESFIELD returned to winning ways with a four-try bonus display against a committed Morley side who perhaps did not deserve the final scoreline in a game punctuated with four yellow cards for technical offences.

Morley started the game kicking with the benefit of a low sun and breeze and, after just one minute, went ahead through a Glen Boyd penalty.

Macclesfield replied immediately when Tony Howcroft made a blistering break through the Morley defence for Tom Rayner to add the finishing touch for an excellent try, converted by Ross Winney.

Thereafter the game was played in the Macclesfield half with Morley going close on a couple of occasions.

During this period, the first yellow was shown to Macc prop Rob Bieniasz for a line infringement.

Poor clearance ball kept Macclesfield under pressure and it was no surprise when, after 24 minutes, Morley scored a try through lock forward Paul Murphy to give them an 8-7 lead.

Centre Paul Bartle then received the second yellow of the afternoon but Ian Roberts put the home side further ahead with a well struck drop goal on 36 minutes and Macclesfield went in 10-8 ahead.

With the sun now gone Macclesfield kicked off with a slight breeze behind them and it was not long into the period when a third yellow was issued, this time to Murphy for pulling at a line-out.

Soon afterwards Tim Kerr scored his first try of the afternoon when, after a line-out and drive he was taken over. Winney's conversion went wide but Macclesfield were by now looking much more organised and disciplined and, after just 13 minutes, the ball was run out from a scrum to winger Dave Jones who went over unopposed.

At 22-8 it was looking good for the Blues with play being contained in the Morley half and, with another line-out and drive, the Macc pack pushed over for Kerr to score.

Scrum-half Guy Mason became the third Macclesfield player to receive a yellow but at 27-8, Macclesfield were not going to give the game away and, despite a well worked try by Morley wing man Whata in the dying minutes, Macclesfield were home and hosed.

After the game, coach Steve Burnage said: "I was thrilled with the five points, which was our target for the afternoon, but disappointed with the first-half penalty count.

"However, good discipline in the second half plus a good performance won the game but there is still work to be done in the first up tackle and support."