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Seniors sign off year with hard-fought victory

20/12/2006

Macclesfield 12 West Park (St Helens) 0

SUNDAY'S kick off at high noon on a chilly December day on a glue-pot of a pitch didn't bode well for a day of running rugby between two sides looking to consolidate their respective league positions.

As usual, Macclesfield's forwards quickly took control in the tight. Yet they failed to make the early breakthrough because of dogged West Park defence and poor option selection at key times.

A half in which both sides put in lots of effort and hard work, yet skill and flair were in short supply to produce a decidedly undistinguished 35 scoreless minutes.

The opening phases of the second half saw Macclesfield adopt a more expansive game using well placed kicks to maintain the pressure on the West Park defence.

When the opening did come it was the ever-reliable Ged Wragg who streaked through the defence to pounce up a loose ball and snatch the first try for Macclesfield Seniors.

The wise heads in the crowd had been speculating that the creaking under-pressure West Park scrummage would eventually completely disintegrate and oblige the referee to move to 'uncontested' scrums.

Indeed, this did happen, at the halfway point in the second half. However, it had already been anticipated by Macc's management and shrewd tactical substitutions and storming attacks allowed Macclesfield to maintain their vice-like grip on the game.

The score that sealed victory for Macclesfield followed another surging drive deep into West Park territory and was rounded off by Eddie Barnes who, despite the inconvenience of having to contend with one of the West Park uprights, gleefully plunged across the line. Will Walton added the two extra points.

This was a mediocre game in which Macclesfield's better organisation and discipline was the decisive difference between the two sides on the day.

The squad will now take a well-earned Christmas and New Year break, returning to action on Sunday January 6 when Newcastle-under-Lyme are the visitors.