Wharfedale 43 Macclesfield 24: Early blitz sets up the Greens

IN the best match seen at the Avenue this season, Wharfedale overcame in-form Macclesfield thanks largely to a blistering start, claiming the club's first four-try bonus of the campaign inside the opening 30 minutes.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Oct 2010, 12:39 BST
Updated 25th Oct 2010, 12:39 BST

Greens centre Andy Hodgson, returned from injury, and captaining the side in the absence of suspended Rob Baldwin, played a key role in all four first-half tries. He scored the important fourth at a stage when the visitors looked set to mount a recovery from the initial onslaught.

Flanker Dan Solomi opened the scoring and impressive No 8 Talite Vaioleti soon went between the posts, centre Tom Davidson converting both.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Winger Matt Simpson got the Blues on the scoreboard only for the Dalesmen to stretch out again when winger Simon Horsfall finished off a sweeping move in the left corner, spendidly converted by Davidson.

The breathless action continued and Macclesfield spirits were raised by scrum-half Charlie Mulchrone's try, converted by full-back Charles Winney.

Any hopes of a meaningful fightback were quickly dashed. Hodgson's try was quickly followed by Vaioleti's second – receiving from his captain before crashing over the line. Davidson converted the latter and added a penalty for a 36-12 lead at the break.

The third quarter passed scoreless but sustained pressure resulted in the Blues scoring a converted try by Tom Eaton.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lifted by this success, Macclesfield pressed and got the bonus point they certainly deserved in the final action, winger Josh Fowles's strength taking him through two tackles for the touch-down. Before that, winger Andy Lovatt had scored the Greens' sixth try following good work by Richard Brown and Adam Whaites.