The home side used their sloping pitch to good advantage in the first half, scoring a very early try to make it 7-0, and then creating a ten point advantage with a decent penalty attempt with fifteen minutes played.

The gap became a little ominous soon after when some backchat proved costly as Manchester were marched back 10m to make a second penalty far easier, so that it was 13-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Manchester had settled by now, but any attack was stifled by what must have been a phenomenally quick defence, only occasionally penalised for offside by the referee. Manchester stuck to their task despite this frustration and on the half hour Matt Beasley benefitted from a solid scrum and used his speed and vision to touch down, converted by Doug Day to 13-7.

The interval was reached, and with Manchester now playing downhill, the feeling was that the one score gap was a decent platform. The intent was there and the red & white hoops were soon established deep in the hosts 22. Some desperate defence resulted in a yellow card and when a second yellow made it a 13-man rearguard action, Anselmians seemed to be there for the taking. Scrum followed scrum, the occasional attacking lineout, a couple of rucks, a few mauls – all within maybe 10m of the line… Unfortunately, the ball seemed unable to escape from that corner and the defence grew in confidence as the attack became more and more limited. As is the way, the ball was eventually cleared, the sin bins were spent, and the opposition was back to full strength.

To rub salt into the wound, when Anselmians did make their way into Manchester’s half for the first time after half an hour of resisting Manchester’s forwards, they won a penalty! A further 10m was awarded when this was disputed (yes, for the second time) and, of course, the ball was slotted over, to make it 16-7 so that Manchester began to look as if they may even be deprived the losing bonus.

With time now ticking away, a penalty was attempted but missed. Then, on the stroke of full time, some enterprise was rewarded as good hands moved the ball wide to Gareth Bridgman, salvaging a match point at 16-12, impressively converted from the touchline by Day to 16-14.