Rugby / Statbunker News

Macclesfield 33-17 Loughborough Students

Macclesfield Points: Try: D Baines (74), F Mulchrone (42), P Allen (29), R Hughes (15). Pens: R Winney 2 (40, 54). Drop Goal: R Winney (65). Cons: R Winney 2 (30, 75).

Loughborough Students Points: Try: J Golledge (78), P Burgess (63), S Lilley (3). Cons: G Pointer (64).

Macclesfield were home winners over Loughborough Students but remain in fourth place in the table.

It was the visitors who took the lead when left wing Simon Lilley went over in the 3rd minute and a 5-0 lead.

The home side were level on 15 minutes when centre Richard Hughes went over. They took the lead on 29 minutes when hooker Peter Allen went over and this tome Ross Winney converted for 12-5 and kicked a penalty late in the half to send his side in 15-5 ahead.

Two minutes into the second half and Macc got a third try as full back Fergus Mulchrone went over, Winney missed the conversion but slotted a 54th minute penalty goal to make it 23-5.

Just after the hour mark and No 8 Phil Burgess went over the home line and full back Grant Pointer converted. Winney dropped a goal and then converted the bonus point try for the home side as flanker Dan Baines went over as they moved 33-12 ahead. The visitors did get the final score as centre James Golledge went over in the 78th minute.

 

Fylde 61-15 Darlington MP

Fylde Points: Try: C Aikman (47), J Davies 2 (14, 79), M Stephenson (53), O Atkinson (36), O Brennand 2 (50, 80), S Nutt 2 (43, 65). Pens: S Nutt 2 (2, 28). Cons: S Nutt 5 (44, 48, 54, 79, 80).

Darlington MP Points: Try: A Tonkin (37), D Miller (60), G Clegg (4).

Fylde were comprehensive home winners over Darlington Mowden Park at Woodlands but remain I fifth place with all the teams above them also winning.     

It was tight in the first half wit the home side edging it 16-10 with both sides scoring two tries in the opening 40 minutes, the difference was Stephen Nutt who added two penalty goals.  

The second half was a different story as ran in seven tries and 45 points to reach 60 points for the second time this season.

Left wing Ollie Brennand ran in a double and became the first player in the division into double figures and the other wing Jordan Davies completed a double. Nutt finished the match with 21 points and he closed on Ross Winney at the top of the points scorers list, with 132 one behind the leader.

 

Halifax 15-39 Caldy

Halifax Points: Try: D Hall (40), T Mennell (29). Pens: I Gordon (6). Cons: I Gordon (40).

Caldy Points: Try: G Roberts (6), I Murray (2), M Turner 2 (26, 37), S Woof (20). Pens: G Roberts 2 (44, 80). Cons: G Roberts 4 (2, 6, 26, 37).

The leaders were comfortable away winners at bottom of the table Halifax and remain 10 points clear at the top of the table.

It took them two minutes to go ahead with left wing Ian Murray going over and centre Gavin Roberts converted. Iain Gordon pulled three points back for the home side but soon after Roberts got the second visitors try and converted for 14-3.

Further tries from centre Shaun Woof and full back Mark Turner saw them bag the try bonus point and they moved 26-3 ahead after 26 minutes.

Halifax finally made it over the Caldy line when Tim Mennell went over on 29 minutes but Caldy responded with a fifth try as Turner completed a double and Roberts converted for 33-8. Late in the half wing Dave Hall went over for the second home try and they went in 33-15 down.

In the second half the only points were two Roberts’s penalty goals as Caldy took the points.

 

Huddersfield 24-9 Preston Grasshoppers

Huddersfield Points: Try: A Shaw (10), J Hinchcliiffe (76). Pens: C Johnson 4 (29, 33, 40, 62). Cons: C Johnson (76).

Preston Grasshoppers Points: Pens: M Jackson 3 (3, 14, 45).

Huddersfield move above Hoppers into eighth place after this home win over the Lancashire side.      

It was Hoppers who took the lead when Marcus Jackson put over a 3rd minute penalty goal. Seven minutes later and the home side were ahead as winger Alex Shaw touched down but four minutes later Jackson kicked the visitors back in front with a second penalty goal.

Late in the half three Chris Johnson penalty goals saw the home side move 14-6 ahead at half time.

Jackson got the first score of the second half to narrow the lead to five points. Johnson kicked a fourth penalty for the home side on 62 minutes before the win was wrapped up when replacement wing Joel Hinchcliff went over on 76 minutes and Johnson converted.

 

Nuneaton 29-6 Hull Ionians

Nuneaton Points: Try: A Takarangi (24), G Holmes (72), R Cook (3), T Douglas (5). Pens: R Aley (41). Cons: R Aley 3 (3, 5, 24).

Hull Ionians Points: Pens: J Ferguson (31). Drop Goal: J Greene (56).

Nuneaton were comfortable home winners over Hull Ionians after a good first half which saw them 24-3 ahead after 40 minutes.

Tries from backs Rob Cook and Tim Douglas in the first five minutes, both converted by Rickie Aley, saw them 14-0 ahead.

They got a third try on 24 minutes when wing Aaron Takarangi touched down and again Aley converted. James Ferguson put the visitors on the scoreboard with a penalty goal but late in the half Aley replied for the home side.

In the second half Ferguson added a second penalty goal but the home side had to wait till the 72nd minute to claim the bonus point try as flanker Gary Holmes went over.

 

Leicester Lions 23-28 Bradford Bingley

Leicester Lions Points: Try: A Mitchell (62), G Collins (40). Pens: J Boden 3 (12, 38, 69). Cons: J Boden 2 (40, 62).

Bradford Bingley Points: Try: B Clark (21), M Dracup (25), R Wilson (66). Pens: S Brimmacombe 3 (44, 50, 55). Cons: S Brimmacombe 2 (21, 66).

Bradford & Bingley picked up a much needed away win at Leicester Lions but still remain in 12th place but closed the gap on Hull Ionians to three points.

Jon Boden put the home side 3-0 ahead on 12 minutes but two tries in three minutes saw the Bees take a 12-3 lead on 25 minutes after second row Barry Clarke and winger Marcus Dracup touched down ad Stephen Brimmacombe added a conversion.

Back came the Lions and Boden added a second penalty goal and then late in the half converted a try form leading try scorer Gareth Collins to send the home side in 13-12 ahead.

In the opening 15 minutes of the second half Brimmacombe slotted three consecutive penalties to see his side go 21-13 ahead.

Back came the Lions and winger Allan Mitchell went over and Boden converted to make it a one point game after 62 minutes.

The visitors responded immediately and prop Rob Wilson went over and it was converted for 2820 leaving the home side needing two scores.

Boden pulled three points back with a penalty goal on 69 minutes with the final score of the match and the Bees took the win.

 

Harrogate 31-30 Kendal

Harrogate Points: Try: E Smithies (57), L Fowles (37), N Wainwright (10), S Bottomley (25). Pens: M Aspinall (66). Cons: M Aspinall 4 (10, 25, 37, 58).

Kendal Points: Try: C Wilson 2 (2, 43), L Ladell 2 (6, 33). Pens: D Stephens 2 (11, 13). Cons: D Stephens 2 (6, 33).

Harrogate remain second after this narrow home win over Kendal at Claro Road with Kendal leaving with two bonus points.

It was Kendal who made the better start and two tries in the opening six minutes saw them 12-0 ahead after No 8 Craig Wilson and winger Luke Ladell touched down and Dan Stephens added a conversion. Nick Wainwright replied for the home side four minutes later and Scrum half Mike Aspinall converted but Stephens put over a couple of penalty goals to make it 18-7. Winger Sam Bottomley got the second Gate’ try and Aspinall converted to make it 18-14 after 25 minutes.

Two minutes later and Ladell completes a double but late in the half the home side got their third try as Luke Fowles on his debut touched down and Aspinall converted to leave the home side trailing 25-21 at half time.

Three minutes into the second half and Wilson completed a double and they were nine points clear. Just before the hour mark and full back Ed Smithies was over the Kendal line and Aspinall converted. In the 66th minute he kicked what turned out to be the winning penalty goal for the home side.