What's Up Doc?....

It was fortunate that it was only a short, and quiet, drive back home...

Manchester had the opportunity to open the scoring but when a straightforward penalty was missed, Medics scored a fine try as their forwards and backs combined to split Manchester’s defence to make it 7-0 within the first few minutes.

Manchester were quick to respond when a penalty for a high tackle was quickly taken within the opposition 22. Karl Higginson had plenty to do even with the line in sight and Doug Day’s conversion made the score 7 apiece.

By the quarter hour mark, Medics were in front 12-7 when a well timed movement along their backs evaded the visitors’ tackles. Five minutes later and it was level again when Alex Coyne carried over as an awesome forwards drive proved unstoppable.

It was becoming a forwards day when the Medics pack attacked adventurously, certainly unexpectedly judging by the way they cut through a fragile defence, to grab a third try, converted to 19-12 with only 25 minutes played.

Manchester then had long periods with the ball but their efforts tended to be from side to side against a well drilled defence. This frustration began to show as the backs resorted to kicking to make ground, only to find that their opposite numbers were returning the ball less aimlessly so that Manchester had to work hard to regain field position.

With the half almost over, Manchester rejected the chance of some easy points from a penalty and their ambition was rewarded with a third try of their own, and a second for Higginson, so that the turn round was reached just 19-17 down.

The result was certainly still in doubt, but it seemed inevitable that both sides would get their four try bonus points in the second half. Although the hosts were forced to defend for the first 10 minutes, Manchester failed to find an opening and a continuing try fest began to look less likely.

A fortuitous Medics try ended up proving decisive when a loose pass from defence was missed by the receiver, hacked forward instead, and then bounced neatly into the chasing defender-to-attacker’s hands for a long but unopposed run in. One side’s bonus point was secure but the match certainly wasn’t at 24-17.

A battle of aerial ping-pong then ensued when the game was crying out for some tight control. However when the ball was in hand, it was a case of the movement either being too predictable or the Medics being too well organised. Whichever it was, the result was the same, and no impression was made by Manchester despite their possession and territory, so that the last 10 minutes was reached with only the single score between the teams.

When another penalty was awarded on the 22, posts were signalled after some debate, which would have set up a grandstand finish as Manchester chased a wining try. This was not to be however and heads went down as the attempt went wide, soon changing the objective to salvaging a draw. Some ill advised kicking continued to be well dealt with by Medics and ironically it was a well judged kick by them that eased the pressure as time and the result ticked away.

To be honest, this wasn’t such a bad game. It was the fact that it was such an unexpectedly close contest with the newcomers to the league and than an away win remains so unbelievably elusive that made the afternoon so disappointing. Medics were good value for their win however and, on this occasion, Manchester got as much as they deserved. Individual performances, notably Karl Higginson up front, deserved more however. Manchester remain under surveillance rather than in intensive care, with a full recovery expected soon!