Didsbury Toc H 15 - 20 Blackburn

With Didsbury having the benefit of the strong wind diagonally at their backs, the game started in very promising fashion for the home side. Didsbury controlled the first 10 minutes and spent most of it inside the Blackburn 22m line. From an attacking scrum, number 9 Gaz Oakley nipped down the blindside to set up Tom Makin to score in the right corner. Olly Thomas’s attempted conversion from the touchline dropped short but Didsbury had a 5-0 lead. Blackburn struck back with a penalty kick, and followed it up with a try out wide to snatch the lead, 5-8. The Blackburn try came from some poor communication in the Didsbury defence, and Blackburn ceased their chance to score. Didsbury sprung back into attack mode and on 25 minutes they won a 5metre attacking scrum. The shove came from the home side’s pack and with the tryline nearing the Blackburn scrum buckled giving the referee little option but to award a penalty try. Thomas slotted the resulting conversion from in front of the posts, and Didsbury retook the lead 12-8. Toc H pinned Blackburn back for the remainder of the half, with fly-half Joe Bradbury continually kicking excellently forcing Blackburn to try and clear their lines against the elements. Blackburn’s resolve held, and Didsbury were only able to add a penalty to the score before the interval. At 15-8 , Didsbury had perhaps not enough of a margin before they had to play into the gusting wind in the second half.

Blackburn forced Didsbury to defend, and the home side dug deep to keep the visitors out for the first 10 minutes of the second half. But pressure told and Blackburn found a cap in the midfield to score by the posts. The conversion was added, and Didsbury’s lead was down to 2 points, 15-13. Didsbury were again forced to battle had in defence, and Blackburn somewhat strangely turned down a relatively simple penalty kick at goal (which would have given them the lead) and Didsbury cleared their lines from the resulting scrum. With play around the halfway line Joe Bradbury was mysteriously sin binned by the referee, which in itself was bad enough, but the 10 minute sinbin turned into 16 minutes and Joe did not return to the action.
With the game entering the last five minutes, and Didsbury holding on to their slender lead, Blackburn had another period of forward pressure culminating in a try. The score was converted and Blackburn took the lead 15-20. Didsbury showed real character and commitment in the remaining time, still a man down, they maintained possession for numerous phases and forced their way slowly up the park to within the shadows of the posts. The ball was taken on well by Mike Hyde, Shaun Walker, Craig Lawless and Dave Foster. But the ball was ultimately mis-handled and the referee blew the final whistle.

Didsbury will take a lot of positives from the match and a losing bonus point, the backrow were again in top form (Andre Swan winning the man of the match award), prop Tony Ames continues his good performances this season, and Olly Thomas forms a solid defensive line at fullback. Toc H will hope to welcome back Sean Bishop and Dave Hoare to the squad for next Saturdays visit to Heaton Moor.

For some excellent action photos of the Blackburn game by John Fryer please go to http://www.photoboxgallery.com/fryerfoto/collection?album_id=1102681602