Didsbury Toc H 38 – 10 Littleborough

Didsbury’s coaching staff were looking for a response from their team that lost, surprisingly, to Bolton the previous weekend. The coaches would have been pleased with the start Didsbury made, beginning the game at a high tempo and gaining the early upper hand. The pressure soon told with Wilder charging down a kick from his opposite number, he managed to gather the loose ball himself to race to the line. Wilder converted his own try, and Didsbury had the lead 7-0. Littleborough are always a stern test for any side in the league, and tried to use their big runners to make headway in the game, but the home sides defence was strong and repelled any attack. The first half contained a lot of tactical kicking, but the difference in the two sides was that Didsbury’s back three (Hoare, Davies and Southall) were making huge territorial gains with their running from deep. Toc H kept the tempo high and moved the ball wide when possible. Pete Davies, a hard man to keep quite on the open spaces of Ford Lane’s pitch, was soon on the score sheet. Davies was able to get on the outside of the opposition winger, and the rest is a far too familiar story, he sped away to the tryline. Wilder added the conversion, and the lead was 10-0. Not to be over shadowed, Dave Hoare playing on the other wing, was soon over for a try. A good lineout gathered by Andy Lynn was spread to Wilder, Euan took the ball to the defensive line and cleverly found Hoare on the loop who crashed under the posts. Wilder increased his points tally with the conversion. Not wanting to let up on their visitors Didsbury continued to keep Littleborough deep in their own territory. Chris Harley who was working hard, and making numerous breaks through the centre of the park set up veteran Dylan Williams for a try just before half time, giving the home side a comfortable looking 28-0 lead at the break.

As Didsbury are aware Littleborough are not the sort of side that gives up on a cause and they started the second half well. Littleborough started to force Toc H back and were able to work a lineout over the tryline. The conversion was missed, 28-5. Wilder slotted a good penalty kick. Didsbury made a number of substitutes and one of the subs, Gui Dallies, scored Didsbury’s fifth try of the day. Another clean break by Harley took play upto the Littleborough tryline, and Dallies was on hand to dive over. Wilder took his day’s efforts to 13 points by adding the conversion. Littleborough were able to add another try out wide.

A good win against a well drilled side.