National League 1 Review: Macc win on the road

This week in National League 1 bottom of the table Macclesfield recorded their second win of the season while Coventry broke a club record as they won their sixteenth consecutive league game.

Blackheath 17-7 Wharfedale

Things were straightforward for Blackheath as they cruised to victory against Wharfedale at Rectory Field. The win was the host’s fifth consecutive win while Wharfedale are now on a run of three back-to-back losses. Ben Summer slid across the whitewash to give the hosts the lead before further tries from Mike Canty extended the lead even further going into half time. A penalty try put even more daylight between the two sides but a try from Cicognini give visiting Dale hope. The game ended with both sides pushing to get the extra score that would have got either side bonus points but both defences held firm. The win means Blackheath have closed the gap on fourth place Fylde to just four points while the Dale sit tenth, comfortably eleven points above the bottom three.

Coventry 32-22 CInderford

Dan Rundle scored a hat-trick to set the Butts Park Arena alight as Coventry edged past Cinderford to make it now 16 back-to-back wins. The win means Coventry surpassed the 15 consecutive victories achieved in the 1961-63 season. Coventry only scored one more try their opponents but had Matt Jones kicking at the top of the game as he converted three penalties and added the extras to three of the four tries. Coventry remain second, four points behind league-leaders Ealing while CInderford sit one place and three points above the relegation zone.

Darlington Mowden Park 30-22 Esher

DMP maintained their unbeaten run in 2015 when they grinded out a fourth consecutive win in the league against Esher on Saturday. The first half was very low scoring as Darlington went into half-time with a slender 6-3 advantage. However the game came alive after the interval with six tries and five yellow cards. The hosts had taken control with a fifteen point lead but Esher rallied and following a try from winger Spencer Sutherland applied pressure but DMP would hold on for what yet could be a crucial victory. Newly promoted Darlington leapfrogged their opponents and are now in a impressive eighth while Esher’s disappointing season continues as they slipped to ninth.  

Ealing Trailfinders 63-36 Richmond

League-leaders Ealing bounced back in dramatic fashion as the promotion favourites scored nine tries in which the four-try bonus point was wrapped up in just 20 minutes. While the win does mean West London side can put last weekend’s dismal performance against Cinderford behind them and look forward to a trip against bottom of the table Macclesfield next week. Coventry remain just four points behind Ealing while the loss for Richmond means they drop to seventh.

Fylde 12-35 Hartpruy College

Daniel Thomas scored a first half hat-trick as hard-working Hartpury cruised to a deserved victory over Fylde at Woodlands.The loss was the Lancastrians first on home turf this season, while the visitors have now stretched their winning run to seven matches. The damage was inflicted in the first half as Thomas, who is dual registered with Hartpury and Premiership Gloucester, touching down all three of his tries in the opening 36 minutes. The win for Hartpury means they move up to sixth, which is extremely good considering they are still in their inaugural season of National League 1 whereas Fylde remain fourth but are now just four points above in-form Blackheath.

Loughborough Students 30-20 Old Albanians

The students have eased their relegation worries after two consecutive home victories, first against Fylde, before Old Albanians on Saturday.  Late tries from Jack Pons and Yiannis Loizias wrapped up the win for the Students, which also secured bonus point, meaning Loughborough have streaked ahead of third-bottom OA’s by nine points.

Rosslyn Park 20-15 Blaydon

Ealing are still the only team to beat Rosslyn Park at the Rock this season, although Blaydon looked as if they may upset the stats in a second half comeback. Had park’s kickers Tome Whelan and Scott Sneddon been on-song the score may have perhaps not been as close, as 11 points went begging. Park were 15-3 up at half-time, and looked in control, but tries from Jason Smithson and Tom Bracewell made it a tight few minutes. Park remain cemented in third but are eight points off the top whereas Blaydon will be mervously looking over their shoulders after slipping to twelfth.

Tynedale 20-22 Macclesfield

Macclesfield replacement Tom Morton kept his nerve to convert a last-ditch penalty to send out of form Tynedale to a tenth consecutive defeat. The hosts had started the game well through tries from Will Miller and Fraser Mckenna. Macc battled back through Sam Moss but when Mckenna touched down again Tynedale looked comfortable with a 17-7 lead going into half-time. Nevertheless as second half brace from Matt King for the visitors meant the game was evenly poised before Morton dramatically won it. Tynedale are now second bottom, three points from safety while Macclesfield despite the victory are still rock bottom, twenty points from salvation.