Greens ease worries with vital victory

The opening 15 minutes was all Macclesfield. They tore at the home defence, and were unfortunate to garner no more than a Dean Williams try from almost overwhelming ascendancy.

The Greens held out and, the siege lifted, mounted pressure of their own. By half-time they had created three penalty chances, all converted by the reliable boot of stand-off Tom Barrett.

Resolute defence denied Macclesfield at the start of the second half. Barrett calmly slotted a drop-goal before a ferocious drive for the line was halted illegally, and referee Simon Harding awarded a penalty try, Barrett converting. Those 10 points were scored while the Greens were reduced to 14 men. The Greens have a game in hand on Macclesfield.