As we head into the first break of the new season, we have new leaders at the top of National Two North after a breath-taking weekend of rugby.
Macclesfield moved into first place after their win against the Luctonians and defeats for Sedgley, Caldy and Sandal made it a satisfying weekend for the Blues.
Elsewhere, Stourbridge may not have wanted the break to come as they are up to sixth after good run of recent form while there was a much needed win for Tynedale on Saturday.
Luctonians 8-26 Macclesfield
Macclesfield went top of National Two North for the first time this season following this away victory over the Luctonians.
A try from David Marwick gave Macc a 0-5 half-time lead which would have pleased the Lucts who have won just one of their eight games this season.
Luctonians prop Michael Jones was sin-binned nine minutes into the second period and Macclesfield took full advantage as Francis Barker went over.
Macc’s Michael Finnemore was then shown a yellow card with the Lucts only managing a penalty during the flanker’s time in the bin as Louis Silver got the hosts’ first points of the day. "
However, just before the hour mark, Henry Monkey was the econd Luctonians player to be sent to the sin-bin and this time the away side punished the hosts sufficiently.
Elliot Brierley and Lewis Barker scored tries in a seven minute period to give the visitors a 3-26 lead with Daniel Smith dotting down for the Lucts five minutes from the end.
Macclesfield Winger Rhodri Mayor:
"I think confidence plays a large part in our current form. We go into every game believing we can come away with the win if we stick to our processes, and in many games this season we've been down at halftime, but there has never been a point in this run where we felt we couldn't come back and get the result.
"I also think a big factor is the standards the senior members and coaching staff set every week. We aren't always coming off the field overjoyed with the win. A couple times this season it's been the opposite because we didn't believe we'd performed to the best of our ability. The standards set during the week also help drive us forward. We're constantly aiming to improve and there's a good relationship between the squad and the coaching set up which helps tremendously."
Leicester Lions 10-9 Sedgley Park
Sedgley Park are now off top spot for the first time this season as they suffered their second defeat of the campaign with this defeat at Westleigh Park to Leicester Lions.
The away side went in at half-time 0-9 up thanks to three penalties from Stephen Collins, but a try from winger Devon Constant on 57 minutes proved to be the difference for the Lions.
Jonathan Williams added a penalty and Sedge’s frustrations were starting to surface when Harry Greville and James Lloyd were both yellow carded in the final stages of the match.
Tempers flared for Leicester too as Luke Veebel was sent to the bin with replacement Darren Dean being shown a red card for foul play, but the Lions managed to secure their fourth home win of the season.
Otley 34-33 Caldy
Caldy’s run of five straight wins came to an end away at Otley this weekend who picked up their third win in four matches.
A four –try first half blitz, including a brace from Nicolas Royle, helped Caldy into a 19-26 lead.
Otley’s points came via three tries with winger James Wood going over twice and he was joined by Samuel Allen and the hosts took the lead on 56 minutes as Toby Harris and Wood yet again crossed to give their side a 31-26 advantage.
But Caldy refused to yield and with ten minutes left, they retook the lead as Forbes Edwards darted over for a converted try to make it 31-33.
But, it was Otley who had the final word as Stephen Depledge slotted over a penalty in the dying embers of the match to seal the victory in a quite brilliant advert for National Two North rugby.
Sandal 16-18 Sale FC
It was turning into a great weekend for Macclesfield with Sedgley and Caldy all losing and it got slightly better for them as fourth placed Sandal suffered their first home defeat of the season as Sale FC secured their first away win of the campaign.
Sandal lost just once at Milnthorpe Green last season and that came against Sale and once again it the result repeated itself
A Ciaran Conolly try with just two minutes remaining clinched Sale’s fourth win of the season after a game that was in the balance throughout.
Thomas Ailes’ try for Sale was the difference at half-time as the visitors led 6-10 with Sandal’s Gregg Wood landing two penalties for his side.
Liam McGovern slotted over a penalty for Sale just before half-time, but it was Sandal who took the lead four minutes after the restart as Ash Norbury barged his way over.
Wood then nudged over his third penalty for 16-10, but then came the Sale fightback.
McGovern nailed another penalty on 72 minutes before Conolly burst through the Sandal defence to score the winning try.
Huddersfield 20-29 Stourbridge
After a seemingly slow start for Stourbridge, they have now won three of their last five matches and find themselves in sixth place after their latest win against Huddersfield.
Stour were 14 points clear at half-time as tries from Joshua Trinham and Connor Nicholls and a penalty from Thomas Mitchell cancelled out Chris Bell’s early kick from the tee.
Bell knocked over a penalty just after the interval, but Stourbridge took control once again as Nathan Bressington crossed the whitewash to give the away side a 6-22 lead before the winger was sin-binned seven minutes later.
The home side failed to capitalise on the extra man and when Lewis Workman was yellow carded on 73 minutes for Field and Stour were awarded a penalty try, the game looked over.
However, Huddersfield rallied late on with tries from Thomas Hodson and Austen Thompson, but Stour did enough earlier in this contest to secure the win.
Harrogate 39-22 Chester
Harrogate made it back to back home wins and ended Chester’s 100 per cent record away from home with this victory.
‘Gate’s win sees them leapfrog Chester in the table, but it was the visitors who led at the break.
Lewis Minikin opened the scoring for the home side but tries from Michael Craven and Ross White gave Chester a 3-14 half-time advantage.
But, Harrogate pulled clear after the restart as Willem Enslin, Minikin (twice) and Samuel Bottomley all crossed in the space of 15 minutes to secure the home side a bonus point and give them a 30-17 lead.
Ford’s second pulled one back for Chester after Samuel Brady was sin-binned for ‘Gate, but Callum Irvine’s late try for the hosts wrapped it up.
South Leicester 22-16 Broadstreet
South Leicester edged out Midlands rivals Broadstreet to record their third win of the season.
The hosts were behind after the first half as a try from Nicholas Thatcher and a penalty from Lee Chapman gave ‘Street a 3-10 lead with South’s points coming from the boot of Ricci Aley.
South were awarded a penalty try just before the hour mark as Broadstreet replacement Joseph Foreman was sent to the sin-bin.
Christopher Bale then gave the home side the lead with a try ten minutes from the end, but two penalties from Dan Richards put ‘Street back ahead on 78 minutes.
But from the restart, William Sutton dived over to snatch the win for the home side.
Tynedale 20-18 Preston Grasshoppers
Tynedale came from behind to pick up a much needed victory as they moved out of the bottom three with their second win of the season.
Preston’s Sean Taylor opened the scoring from the tee, before Scott Jordan darted past the Tyne defence to touch down. Harrison Moulding followed suit on 36 minutes, but Tynedale’s Ashley Smith threw his side a lifeline and began their comeback.
Preston Number 8 Alastair Murray was sin-binned early in the second half and Tynedale took advantage.
Daniel Marshall crossed, but Taylor extended Preston’s lead on 62 minutes to 13-18 with his second penalty of the afternoon.
But it was a try from Samuel Gaff which proved to be the deciding factor 12 minutes from the end which was converted by Smith to seal the win which will surely boost the confidence of Tyne heading into the first break of the season.