Glossop started the game with real intensity which took Manchester by surprise. A turnover in Manchester’s 22, was quickly forced over the line in the first minute for a 7-0 opening.

Minutes later, a loose clearance kick was collected and the visitors’ defence was simply ran through to make it 12-0 after five minutes, the conversion attempt striking the uprights.

A torrid 15 minutes finally drew to a close with a Doug Day penalty to steady the ship at 12-3 and Glossop’s intensity started to wane. The damage on the scoreboard wasn’t so bad but Sam Davis had been lost to injury and Manchester needed to settle quickly. This they did with some probing runs from Chris Nuttall in particular and by the back row beginning to assert themselves in the loose.

The manner of Glossop’s attacks was more limited, but their forwards game was efficient if not pretty. Manchester’s more attractive running style was abruptly stopped a couple of times by some dubious tackling but the referee was content to award a couple of penalties rather than taking any stronger action at this point. With Manchester now on the ascendancy and the home team’s intensity now being more manifest in their shouting rather than their actions, territory started to swing Manchester’s way.

Unfortunately, Manchester’s defence was caught out with a quick tap penalty that allowed Glossop to add to their early scores and make it 19-3 with five minutes half of the remaining. Manchester knew that they needed to score quickly and a strong second half finish left them hammering on the line until a gap opened for Nuttall to score, converted by Day to 19-10 to close the half still in touch.

Manchester started the second period the brighter and deservedly closed the gap to 19-15 after 10 minutes, courtesy of a superb Matt Beasley break from his own half. With four or five tackles evaded, it looked as if he may go the whole way; when he was finally hauled down, his half back partner Nuttall was there in support to finish the job.

Glossop had no hesitation to go for the posts when a kickable penalty was awarded to them soon after, but the quarter hour was reached with Manchester still within one score at 22-15.

When the referee’s patience finally wore thin and he felt compelled to sin bin a home player for another high tackle, Manchester had a real opportunity to get back on level terms or better. Whether Glossop were good at running the clock down or Manchester were poor for allowing them to do so, the advantage handed to them wasn’t taken. Kicks to touch were never going to work with the way that particular set piece was being refereed on the day, and possession was surrendered a number of times, just when Manchester had the numerical advantage to make use of it. To add insult to injury, an ambitious drop goal was successful and the sin bin period yielded a nett advantage as Glossop moved ahead to 25-15 with 10 minutes remaining.

The home side were not going to let Manchester back into the game again as an age seemed to be taken to set scrums, with only one side frustrated at this turn of events. The match gradually slipped away from Manchester as time ticked on until a losing bonus point became the only realistic target. When this was not only denied, but a four-try bonus point was pinched by the hosts right at the end, again against the run of play, an unsatisfactory 32-15 final score was reached. The early threat that Manchester would be overrun came to nothing, but those early scores certainly proved crucial in the final reckoning.