A Good Five-Pointer

Toc H welcomed good friends Thornton Cleveleys to Ford Lane on Saturday, for the first of a run of games that will go some way towards determining who is in the mix for North Lancs honours, at the end of the season. Didsbury, although missing regulars James Regan, Brad Cliff and Jon Walker, were still able to select a strong squad. Tom Shorten came into the team at 12, skipper Dave Hoare stepped back in on the wing, following a couple of weeks out with a knock, and a debut was handed to flanker Richard Stovell, after some impressive performances for the club's other sides.

With conditions greasy following overnight rain, Didsbury kicked off to Thornton, following a warm-up of notable focus and quality. This carried over into the match and the home side set about their visitors with an intensity and tempo not seen from them for some time. The tone was set by several shuddering hits and carries from Stovell, Beardmore, McIntosh and Rigby as Thornton frantically tried to keep the waves of Didsbury attackers from breaking through.

Scrum-half Tom Quigley was given an armchair ride by the continually precise and powerful breakdown work of the pack (in which Kazz Singh was notably prominent), which in turn allowed Neil Wilkinson and his back-line good front foot ball. It took some outstanding scramble defence from the visitors to keep Didsbury at bay; a slick backs move and great hands from Tom Makin and Rory Gibson put Hoare into space on the right and a try looked certain. However, Thornton's 13, who had a typically fine game, somehow managed to get back and was adjudged to have tackled the winger into touch in the act of scoring. A tight call, but Hoare had his try five, minutes later, as a wayward kick from the visitor's 10 landed straight in his arms with open field in front of him. Hoare brushed off the chasing defender and went over for Didsbury's opening try, which Gibson was unable to convert.

Didsbury continued to generate quick front foot ball and the midfield of Wilkinson, Shorten and Rob Bamberger were able to bring Toc H's strong runners into play. Thornton were struggling to keep pace with Didsbury's tempo and wing Tom Makin was the beneficiary of some fine interplay and hands down the left, as he continued his recent scoring run by going in for a try out wide, which was converted by Gibson. The latter then made a telling break through midfield and the ball once again found its way to Makin to dot down, following some superb hands (including one outrageous no-look pass) from Quigley and Wilkinson.

The score was taken to 19-0 and it was only Thornton's continually excellent scramble defence and commitment, allied with some imprecise finishing from Didsbury, that prevented further tries before half time. The game was far from won, but Didsbury could be confident that a second half performance that was anything like the first half would see them put it to bed.

What they delivered was a performance nothing like the first half, although credit needs to go to Thornton - they are a good side and their progress and steadily improving results over the past couple of seasons has been no accident.The tone for the half was set soon after kick-off, when a ball squirted out of the back of a Disbury ruck and Thornton's alert number 10 hacked forward and dropped over the line gratefully for a converted try, from nothing. This lifeline spurred the away side on and they began to play some good rugby in the wide channels that stretched Didsbury's defences, with the 13 and full-back prominent. They continued to build momentum and field position until Makin found himself fielding a loose ball inside his own half. With a step off the left and then his right (which had hitherto mostly been used only for standing on), he broke into space before showing great gas to score under the posts and secure not only his second hat-trick in a row, but also Toc H's bonus point, with the score now 26-7.

Most of the second half continued with Thornton in possession and on the offensive and they were rewarded for their endeavours with two nicely put away tries in the last five minutes of the match, taking the final score to 26-19 and securing themselves a losing bonus point in the process.

Although frustrated that the scoreline was closer than it probably should have been, Toc H will be pleased with a bonus point win against as good a side as Thornton, which keeps the pressure up on the league leaders above them. Next Saturday brings with it a challenging trip to second-placed Burnley and Didsbury know that they will need to perform for the full 80 minutes if they are to come away with anything. But this was a good stepping stone, built upon some excellent rugby and signs are that things are starting to click. Onwards we go.