1st XV
Matches
Sat 29 Oct 2016  ·  South Lancs/Cheshire Division One
Manchester Rugby Club
1st XV
23
14
Widnes
Home Again…

Home Again…

www.manchesterrugby.co.uk31 Oct 2016 - 21:35
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Yet another home try fest would have been nice but another home win was more important and that was effectively delivered.

After an untidy start from both sides, the visitors made the first breakthrough inside the first ten minutes. When Widnes approached the Manchester 22, the ball was worked wide from midfield to leave Manchester understaffed on the right wing. The resulting try was well converted to 0-7. Manchester responded quickly with a straightforward penalty from Richard McCartney (3-7).

Manchester soon returned to the Widnes half and applied pressure looking for the gap. When one appeared, a desperate tackle was adjudged high so that a penalty was slotted with Manchester feeling short changed in being denied a likely try. The match remained as tight as the 6-7 scoreline after the opening quarter.

Manchester made good gains from McCartney’s penalty kicking and a well judged kick gave an opportunity just five metres out. Karl Higginson found his man and then found himself the key man in the resulting catch and drive, taken over the line to give Manchester the lead for the first time. The conversion from out wide made it 13-7.

Manchester’s pack had the edge over Widnes in the scrum especially and when they started going backwards at a rate of knots, a penalty was inevitable. Quickly taken, Widnes players were not 10 but couldn’t resist interfering. When the kick was marched forward, McCartney went for goal and it was 16-7 on the half hour.

Widnes then proceeded to finish the half the stronger side but the home side’s backs to the wall defence stayed firm. The gap was about right on balance but the game was far from won.

The balance that had shifted to Widnes before the break continued and that gap was down to two points with an early score. A gaping hole appeared in the Manchester line with too many players defending tight, so that the Widnes fly half could use his pace to exploit that and close to 16-14.

Memories of the previous week’s half time wobble soon faded as Manchester stuck at it and stayed in control. Even though Widnes were now camped in the Manchester half, the defensive discipline frustrated the Widnes attack to snuff out any real chance of scoring. The calm defence eventually got some good possession so that the half could be escaped, but the hour mark was reached with Widnes looking the more likely to score.

The dominance in the scrum finally created an opportunity when a super push by Manchester caused chaos on the Widnes put in. Charlie Ding was totally aware of where the ball was and pounced on it before his opposite number realised, even as it exited on the other side! That led to phase after phase which deserved a try that never came. Nonetheless, Manchester were at last on the attack. A chance of points was turned down for a lineout deep in the Widnes 22. Sam Davis caught the ball well and the inevitable drive was set up. Widnes were ready, but knowing their limitations, chose to collapse the drive giving the referee no option but to award a penalty try. McCartney added the extras to open a two score lead at 23-14.

The last ten minutes remained fairly even, Widnes having their chances thanks to some loose kicking by Manchester rather than keeping the ball in hand and playing to their strengths. The visitors were unable to counter attack effectively fortunately so that their chance of pinching a losing bonus point came to nothing.

Another try to finish would have been welcomed, but with the two teams locked on the same number of league points at the start of the game, this fifth home win moved Manchester up to fourth for a very good return for their controlled approach.

Match details

Match date

Sat 29 Oct 2016

Kickoff

15:00

Competition

South Lancs/Cheshire Division One

League position

4
Manchester
8
Widnes
Team overview
Further reading

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