Manchester 50 Sefton 0

Manchester 50 v Sefton 0

Another good all round performance against a weak Sefton side, earned Manchester five more points to keep them clear at the top.

From the outset things did not go well for the visitors with the kick off failing to go 10 metres, giving Manchester a scrum on half way. As Manchester exerted the early pressure, a poor clearance kick by Sefton went straight to Ollie Dickinson who broke down the right side into the Sefton 22. From a scrum, Manchester initially kept the ball tight with some forward drives, then after the third phase the ball was moved wide right where an overlap had been created for Charlie Johnson to cross over, conversion missed 5v0.

During the build up to the try Seb Lingwood went off for a blood injury, to return 5 minutes later, only to go off at half time.

Following a good exit from the kick off Manchester were soon on the attack again and kept Sefton pinned in their half. Retaining the ball over 8 phases, Manchester were unlucky to turn the ball over just short of the try line. Although Sefton managed to clear to touch, from the resultant line out Jake Stewart broke through as he was unchallenged; this gave Manchester a platform inside the opposition 22, which was exploited with some good forward drives close into the ruck, with Callum Baines eventually crashing over, conversion kicked 12v0.

Sefton had their best spell of the match over the next twenty minutes, however, at crucial times when challenging the Manchester line they lost possession through handling errors and the home team were able to clear the danger.

As half time approached, a Sefton player was guilty of high tackle on Freeman. The ball was kicked to touch, with the line out won, Manchester got a good drive on, Sefton collapsed the maul and once again the penalty was kicked to touch deep in the Sefton 22. With the line out working well, the ball was secured and driven to the line where Sam Powell went over for the 3rd try, conversion missed, 17v0.

As with the first half, things did not start well for Sefton in the 2nd, as they put themselves under immediate pressure by failing to secure the kick off. With play now deep in the Sefton half, Manchester were awarded a penalty for hands in the ruck. The ball was kicked to touch, this time the ball was released to the backs, with Doug Day now at fly-half making a clean break close to the Sefton line; from the next ruck Lewis Mckay came in on the crash ball and from 5 yards proved unstoppable, conversion taken, bonus point secured 24v0.

From the re-start Sefton kicked the ball deep, which was recovered by Charlie J, as he took the ball into contact a Sefton player was once again guilty of a high tackle, this time earning him a yellow card and ten minutes in the sin bin.

The penalty allowed Manchester to kick for touch and maintain their pressure deep in the Sefton half. From a scrum on the left, Freeman made a clean break taking play close to the line in front of the posts. At the next scrum Manchester got a good shove on and earned a penalty, a second scrum was taken with the same result. This time, however, Freeman spotted a gap and took a quick tap, as he scored the try he was fouled by a Sefton player, which resulted in a penalty to Manchester from the kick off; try converted 31v0.

Manchester were now well and truly on top in all phases of play and kept the pressure on Sefton for the remainder of the game.

With some good interplay between backs and forwards, it was good to see moves worked on in training being executed well, with forwards gaining ground and creating the space for the backs to score, three more tries resulted from good passages of play. Firstly, Ollie Dickinson went over on the right, then Tom Fantom on the left and finally Charlie Johnson wide right, two conversions by Freeman took the score to 50v0.

Manchester will face sterner tests as they seek to maintain their title push but if they execute, scrums, line-outs and planned moves in the same manner as they did against Sefton then they should easily maintain their current form.