Ashton under Lyne 15 – 30 Didsbury Toc H

The home side started in buoyant mood, but it was Toc H who took the early lead with a well struck Olly Thomas penalty. Ashton went back on the attack and from an attacking lineout the home pack drove over the line for the game’s opening try. The hosts were able to stretch their lead to a useful 15-3 on 25 minutes with 2 further tries. Didsbury were stung into life, and the pack started to fill their newly supplied shirts, with the ball being carried well by Mike Hyde, Dave Foster and Mark Harrison. A penalty was kicked to within 15metres of the Ashton tryline, and from the resulting lineout the Didsbury pack drove over for Mike Hyde to touch down to close the gap to 15-8. With halftime looming new fly-half Ian Jenkinson, who put in a sterling performance at 10, made a good break finding debutant centre Rob Roughley. The suitably named Roughley broke through the centres and setup Tom Makin to race in at the corner, and at the interval the scores were 15-13.

Didsbury maintained the momentum after the break and when a loose Ashton kick landed in the hands of Enita Okidioko he did what he does best and streaked in for a try from 60metres. The conversion was added, and the visitors took the lead 15-20. With Ashton losing a player to the sinbin, Toc H moved the ball away from a scrummage mid-field and released winger Dave Hoare down the right touchline. He made 50m to touch down in the corner. Ashton lost another player to the bin, and Didsbury were able to take advantage with Hoare grabbing a second try as the home team ran out of defenders. At 15-30 Ashton didn’t surrender, and towards the end of the match Didsbury had to repel a number of spirited attacks.

With two wins from their opening three fixtures, Didsbury sit in 6th place in North Lancs 1. They will be looking to start to find some consistency in selection, and results beginning at St Edwards OB next Saturday.