Four for Hoare!

Toc H made the long journey with a strong looking squad, but their preparations were hampered by arriving just 30 minutes before kickoff. Perhaps the rushed warm-up, or the home side’s desperation to gain vital league points to save them from relegation, Didsbury looked out of touch early on. Missed kicks to touch and needless penalties allowed Millom to create pressure, and the first score went to the home side with a close range drive resulting in a try. The conversion was missed, but the early lead lifted the home crowd. Didsbury started to find their rhythm, and on the fantastic playing surface, started to find holes in the opposition defensive line.
Good ball carrying by Mark Harrison, Tom Makin and Sean Bishop gave Didsbury the territorial advantage. And a telling pass to Dave Hoare saw him outstrip his opposite winger to score Didsbury’s first try. Bishop’s trusty boot added the extras and Toc H took a deserved lead 5-7. Millom were defending well in the close exchanges, but wider out the home side’s tackling wasn’t as tight and centre Sean bishop was able to Down the ball for the second try for the visitors. Again Bishop swung the peg and the ball sailed over, extending the lead to 5-14. Millom, desperate to stay in touch in the match, went searching for a try. As it looked likely that Millom were certain to score, a timely tackle knocked the ball loose over the tryline. It would have been easy for Didsbury to touch the ball down and go into halftime ahead, but instead they looked to counter-attack and a flowing move involving forwards and backs saw Dave Hoare race in for his second try of the half. The halftime lead of 5-19 was not insurmountable, but Didsbury had gone a long way towards victory.

Millom scored the first try of the second half, the Cumbrian side won an attacking scrum and the ball was fed to the winger to score in the corner. The conversion was missed, but the gap was closed to nine points (10-19). With the referee penalising Didsbury more in the second half Millom were able to get a foothold in the game. With a kickable penalty awarded to Millom there was a protracted debate as to whether they should take the 3 points (and get themselves within losing bonus point territory), or go for a try. They decided to run the ball, and with the ball about to find their winger Hoare swooped to intercept and sped the 90 metres to complete his hat trick. This was quite a run for the try-machine, and he soon brought up his fifteenth try of the season, and his fourth of the match. At 10-33 Didsbury’s skipper, Mike Hyde’s, game skidded to a halt and had to be replaced by Mark Chambers. Millom scored a consolation try, before again passing to Hoare who this time didn’t quite have enough to go the length of the pitch and a good offload found an eager Mark Chamber’s to score under the sticks. Chamber’s elected to convert the try himself, and we can only guess he tried to kick it with his wrong foot as it went nowhere near.

An away bonus point win is always a good result, particularly on the trips into Cumbria, but Didsbury will look to step up their performance as they welcome second placed Flletwood to Ford Lane next Saturday (3pm kick off)