Out-enthused at Sedgley Park
MACCLESFIELD came up short on the short trip to Sedgley Park.
The Blues came into this match in unfamiliar form for this league at least off the back of two no bonus point losses against bottom half opposition.
For their part, Sedgley have had contrasting fortunes under new coach Matt Bebbington, who spent some shadowing the Macclesfield backroom staff last season, winning four out of five.
On another wet, soggy day The Cheshire side started with the bulk of possession but made little headway before Sedgley struck first. Nick Allsop’s box kick was too long for his own players and the home side’s back three ran it back down the opposite wing, Rob Holloway the man touching down after Jamie Harrison made the gap for him.
Macc had an opportu- nity in the Sedge ’22 but were unable to take advantage before surrendering territory for a long spell.
Eventually the Blues managed to work their way up field, in no small way thanks to their kicking game, and Myles Hall finished off in the corner after a Davenport offload following a lateral backs’ move off the platform laid by the forwards in the Lancashire team’s ’22.
But Sedge were having none of that and immediately struck back with Ashley Platt-Hughes latching onto Matt Riley’s offload after he had busted through the Blues’ defence off a lineout on the half hour.
Macc managed to collect three points from the boot of Lewis Barker from in front of the posts after another ’ 22 visit, before they botched an exit maul and Harrison took full advantage, scoring in the corner from the turnover on the stroke of half time for a 21-10 lead.
If the lads had had a stern talking to at half time it hadn’t taken effect yet when Sedgley’s winger Glass retained a chip and chase on the kick return from the kick off exit, Ashley Platt-Hughes going under the posts.
The Blues were sparked into life, putting together numerous phases and gaining metres more regularly now playing close off the ruck, and also managed the game a lot better in the second half, pegging the home side back. However, numerous lineouts in advanced positions were not retained and Sedgley were repeatedly let off the hook.
From the resulting scrum Allsop put Matt Thorp through a gap to all but get over, putting both arms out over his head backwards only for the last man to ‘knee’ the ball out of his hands before grounding – according to the referee, although perhaps it was justice as there appeared to be suspicious pass earlier in the set.
If the comeback was to happen it needed to start there and so it was a little overdue when Nico Nyemba managed to get his maiden Macclesfield score on their next visit to the Sedge ’22, on 68 minutes, making it 28-15.
That was the Blues’ last visit to the home side’s line and it was they who wrestled back control after a long series of exchanges in the middle of the park. A maul penalty allowed them to kick to the corner and maul over to complete the victory.
Special mention should be made to Sedge’s 10, Steve Collins, who manoeuvred them around the park well, centre Matt Riley was a gainline threat as always and Rob Birtwell was a strong contender for man of the match also. Despite the result that tag should be reserved for a Macclesfield player, as flanker Liam Parfitt put in a blistering display. He fronted up well where others did not and played with real physicality in attack and defence, pretty much covering every blade of grass in the process.
This run is starting to become a bit of a concern for Macclesfield as two out of six is not the start they would have hoped for – but then again we are only six games in and Premiership Champions Exeter Chiefs started with 6 defeats last year.
Still, the boys do need to start out-enthusing the opposition and taking the physical game to them rather than finding the motivation on the hour when the game needs to be clawed back and silly errors that concede territory and possession need eradicating.
Coach Giles Heagerty said: “We were naïve I think, that would be the best way to describe it.
“We got to give credit to Sedgley they were physical they certainly outenthused us in that first half for sure, and I think probably cost us as it left us with far too much to do, but we just have to get a little bit more swagger back in our step.”
1. Berry 2. Nyemba 3. Robinson 4. F. Barker 5. Marwick 6. Palmer 7. Parfitt 8. Thorp 9. Allsop 10. L. Barker 11. Hall 12. Davenport 13 Smith © 14. Parry 15. Reed 16. Sherratte 17. Poole 18. Lacey 19. Burden 20. Broster
MACCLESFIELD SQUAD: