Otley 27 Macclesfield 19

What a difference a week makes in rugby and following the demolition of Wharfedale the previous week the Blues travelled to lowly Otley with high hopes of another victory but they reckoned without the spirit of the home side and what, overall, was a below par performance from the squad in the first game of this successful campaign where not even a bonus point was gained.

The game began brightly for Macclesfield  after both sides and the spectators respected a minutes silence in memory of the Blues President, Peter Jones, who sadly passed away in hospital earlier in the week and it was winger Josh Fowles who finished off a move started by a blockbusting run by Tom Davenport when he scored in the corner.  Ross Winney’s conversion was adrift and it was the home side who scored next when Full Back Chris Georgiou struck a penalty and then they used their speedy threes to score their first try clinically finished by Scrum Half Steve Depledge.

That try went unconverted but Otley scored again when, following pressure by the Blues an error allowed the home side to break out and Centre Ben Hough touched down for Georgiou to convert.

James Moorhouse was held up over the line as Macclesfield endeavoured to close the gap after pressure on the home line but basic errors did not assist the cause and at the interval Otley led 15-5.

Macclesfield began the second half with a period of good forward pressure which resulted in a try for Flanker Chris Jones, converted by Winney to narrow the gap but thereafter it was the pace of the Otley backs that was a constant thorn in the Blues side and it was no surprise when they scored straight away when a forward break led to a try for Lock Joe Quinn again converted by Georgiou and they obtained their bonus point try when top scoring winger James Twomey made a break after the Blues lost the ball, chipped ahead and won the race to the touchdown. 

At 27-12 the game was now out of sight but with the final move of the game after late pressure it was James Moorhouse who scored for Winney to convert after which the whistle went on a less than satisfactory day at the office for Macclesfield who will now have to gird their loins for the long trip to bottom of the table Launceston this weekend.

Team:

Coulbeck, Moorhouse, Simpson, Davenport, Fowles,Winney, Eaton.

Mantell, Moss, Robinson, Marsh, Owen, Jones, Stewart & Keep.

Replacements:

Latham, Allen, Wigham, Parkinson,Hughes