Manchester picked up 2017 where they left off with an early try following a deft one-handed pass from Doug Day to Dean Hogg. Day added his name to the scoresheet by converting from out wide (7-0).

A quick return to Medics 22 resulted from Richard Gosling’s break on halfway, and when Matt Davies took the ball on at pace, there was no way that any defence was going to catch him. This time the touchline conversion drifted wide but 12-0 was a good return for five minutes work.

Medics showed their character by settling after the early onslaught, and started to create their own chances. On several occasions, Manchester tried unsuccessfully to escape their half by kicking when there were perhaps better opportunities to run the ball. The game lost its shape as a result so that the half hour mark arrived with no additional score.

The last ten minutes of the half however saw normal service resumed as Manchester started to spread the wall wide, causing chaos in the visitors’ defence. It looked as if Davies was in at the corner but the referee adjudged that the ball had been knocked forward in a last ditch tackle. Although Medics were then able to clear, Luke Tyrrell latched on to the clearance and ably abetted by good support running, the ball was worked out to Davies whose touchdown this time was deemed satisfactory (17-0).

The bonus point try arrived on the stroke of half time after Manchester were awarded a penalty while attacking the line. A quick tap & go by Tyrrell looked a good option but it took some wrestling by the flanker to get the ball over the line, more straightforwardly converted by Day to 24-0.

The match was effectively put to bed with an early score after the break, but Medics had resisted well enough that play drifted across to the corner. Day was in excellent place kicking form however so that the extras were added to make it 31-0.

With half an hour left to play and Manchester dominant, Medics were given no time to get their shape back when yet another penalty was awarded in their 22. Once again Tyrrell was alert to the opportunity, taking it quickly, but this time having to rely on Tom Fantom’s support to beat the defence (36-0).

In the same pattern as the first half, Medics then decided to play a bit themselves. Manchester were on the back foot as they put together a good sequence of passes to advance deep into the home 22. With Manchester stretched, and then conceding a penalty five metres out, a deserved try was scored as the visiting forwards drove over for a 36-5 reply.

Manchester weren’t happy at this and made their point quickly when Day took the ball back into opposition territory. Once again it was the result of determined support, this time from Harry Lewis who was willing and able to take the ball through the remaining defence to score his first senior try as the game approached the hour mark (43-5).

Anthony TiaTia then looked as if he was going to bulldoze his way through half the team until force of numbers finally stopped his progress, but with Hogg running good lines all afternoon from full back, another score was inevitable and we entered the last 20 at 48-5.

Medics refused to lie down however and their stubborn defence as Manchester pounded their line kept the score where it was. Once again it was a quick tap that opened the door, this time by Matt Beasley who was able to feed Ollie Dickenson for a try, yet again in the corner, to bring up the half century at 53-5.

As the weather became dark and gloomy, Manchester tried to lighten the mood with pressure free running rugby to finish. The adventure was rewarded by a tenth and final try by Tyrrell on the wing (!), the need to convert from out wide yet again was scored almost defiantly by Day to close the scoring at 60-5.