Need to turn the corner at Huddersfield

A PENALTY at the death meant that Macclesfield lost their home encounter with a strong Fylde side at Priory Park on Saturday by the narrowest of margins of 28-31.

Whilst the bonus points gained are perhaps scant consolation for a great effort on the park, it still means that Macclesfield remain very much at the wrong end of National Two North on 25 points after our seventeen games played.

They are just six points above bottom side Peterborough Lions and six behind South Leicester just above us in the ‘danger’ area of the table.

With South still eight points behind Wharfedale it is now looking a Herculean task to fight our way to survival at this level but with the spirit shown on Saturday it can be done.

Hopefully it can start at Huddersfield on Saturday when we visit their spectacular Lockwood Park home – kick off 3pm. Directions follow later in this column.

Still thirteen games to play before the Fat Lady sings as they say so let’s get our support behind the side over in West Yorkshire come Saturday.

Elsewhere in Two North there were many high scoring encounters which resulted in wins for Leicester Lions over Chester, Otley who beat Sedgley Park 28-26, table topping and favourites for promotion Hull Ionians who beat bottom club Peterborough by 25-15, Huddersfield, where we visit Saturday, beat Preston Grasshoppers in Lancashire by 27-22, and an even closer encounter saw South Leicester beat Sheffield Tigers in West Yorkshire by 23-22, Hinckley won 33-20 at Wharfedale and finally Tynedale beat Stourbridge in the North East by 40-24 in a busy afternoon of try scoring around the league.

Around Priory Park on Saturday the Second XV enjoyed a high scoring victory over neighbours Sale FC by 52-24 but sadly both the thirds and fourth teams lost at Rossendale and Newcastle respectively so hopefully they can get back to winning ways this weekend. Fixtures to follow later in this column.

Whilst I may have dropped the occasional hint recently I will be standing down as ‘Clubman’ at the end of this current season after some twenty years in the role following on from Pete Ord (who originated the name), Jim Sandles and occasionally Bob Jenner so please give some consideration to taking over this role which keeps Macclesfield Rugby Club in the local spotlight in these columns.

If interested I can be contacted at the following email address – clubman. macc@ntlworld.com – and will be more than happy to guide my successor in the role in order to enjoy a bit of retirement!!

If no-one steps up then this column will be no longer so give it some thought. I live in hope.

Short and sweet this week but hopefully a bit more next week and Saturday’s fixtures as follows:- 1st v. Huddersfield – Away 3pm. 2nd v. Preston Grasshoppers – Away 3rd v. Kendal 2 – Home 4th v. Bowdon 3 – Home

For those travelling to Huddersfield on Saturday they play at Lockwood Park, Brewery Drive, Huddersfield HD4 6EN which from my Tytherington abode is some 53 miles so allow a good hour and a quarter for travel. See you there.

Enjoy your Rugby – I do.