Blaydon 34 Macclesfield 52

 

The old adage that a good big-in will always beat a good little-in was never better illustrated than at Crow Trees yesterday when a youthful Blaydon side were brushed aside by bigger and stronger forwards alike who in the first half ran at them almost non-stop.
Tackles were broken at will as Macclesfield found gap after gap to record 5 tries before the interval to lead 10-35.
For a while after the break it was a different story with the Blaydon youth showing what they can do when on the front foot and taking the deficit to 29-38 and raising hopes that a second bonus point could be obtained and even a win.
But sadly it didn’t last and by the end it was a comfortable win for the visitors who as a result moved above them in the league.
At the outset it was the worst possible start for Blaydon when two backs failed to secure the kick-off, allowing Macclesfield winger James Hampson to score after just 20 seconds. Their fly-half Tom Morton put over the conversion as he did with the other six tries and also a penalty, his points ultimately the main difference between the sides.
Blaydon skipper showed his worth with a powerful early response and Dan Marshall finished off a break by Harry Borthwick but by half-time Parkinson, Morton, Burden and Hampson again had crossed the home line with ease.
The second half purple patch took off when centre Ben Stevenson broke fast, feinted to pass out and cut back inside to beat 2 more defenders for an excellent score. James Cooney and Charlie Wilson combined in a break to send in flanker Jack Davidson under the posts, winger Jack Appleton scooted in down the left with another fine solo effort and Andy Richardson landed 2 conversions.
At this point the visitors woke up from their temporary slumber to restore normal service for Macclesfield. After a prolonged spell of ball retention their full-back Dan Lomax was sent in near the posts, Parkinson grabbed a second from forward pressure and 29-38 had become 29-52 – game over.
In the dying seconds another Stevenson break saw Davidson get his second but the result was long since determined.

John Brennan