Macc coach scrap-happy after Tynedale trip
RUGBY UNION ALEXANDER HANNAH
MACCLESFIELD head coach Giles Heagerty was thrilled to have returned home with his side’s second victory of the season after their trip to second-bottom side Tynedale.
The Blues won 20-22 in a hard-fought scrappy affair at Tynedale Park.
Despite victory, Heagerty was a little disappointed not to secure the four-try bonus point, which would have also seen them deny Tynedale anything from the afternoon.
“Tynedale is a tough place to go,” said Heagerty. “It was not the most entertaining of rugby games, although not getting the five points does take a bit away from it, the way the game panned out.
“But at the end of the day it’s a win.”
The Blues had the chances to secure that bonus point but unforced errors saw them squandered when they had been deep in Tynedale territory.
“Things seemed a little off today for some reason,” added the coach.
“Our consistency and timing wasn’t quite right but I wouldn’t put that down to changes in personnel, the game was very stop-start and that doesn’t help.
“Tyne were competitive at the breakdown and that stopped us from getting going.”
The 20 points the Blues conceded was their best defensive display of the season and the second half saw barely a penalty conceded, something which pleased Heagerty after his side’s defence and discipline had come under scrutiny over the season.
“The coaches and I were talking in the warm-up that we had a real intensity about us today, and that showed in our defence throughout the match and especially after we had kicked the goal to win the game.
“The way we defended after that was fantastic, we really dug deep.”