Littleborough RUFC 44 - 12 Didsbury

Chris Hough, Littleborough RUFC club v Didsbury Toc H

Seven tries including a brace from Chris Park saw Littleborough RUFC club cruise to an emphatic 44-12 victory over Didsbury Toc H.

The second half of the Rakewood double header entertained a big crowd that were given a spectacle in glorious sunshine by a side demonstrating controlled rugby and, at times, some sumptuous individual skill to consign Didsbury to yet another Littleborough defeat.

However, it was not all plain sailing as the visitors took the lead midway through the first half after Littleborough had gone ahead with a penalty from the boot of Walton, Didsbury's hooker finding himself on the wrong end of the referee's whistle as he was penalised for coming in at the side.

Didsbury responded with a try of their own, crashing over from close range despite Littleborough keeping them at bay in previous phases. The conversion missed by the fly half gave Didsbury a slender lead that they would keep for the majority of the first half.

Boro roared back in brutal fashion with a quick-fire double from Chris Hough and Chris Roberts.

Hough finished off a great team move before Chris Roberts crashed over from close range as Littleborough stole the kick-off and marched towards to the Didsbury line at a rate of knots.

Centre Andy Walton converted the first before missing the second from a tough angle to make the score at half time 15-5.

By no means were Didsbury out of the game at the half way stage and had so far done a valiant job of stopping Boro in their tracks, however they could not stop Murphy Holt putting more daylight between the two teams when the tireless forwards worked the ball through the phases allowing quick ball for Tipper to work the ball to Hough, who swung it out to Holt on the wing to finish from 15 metres out. Walton failed to add the extras from the touchline.

Matthew Goldthorpe picked up a loose ball 20 metres out and sprinted clear to esnure the lead was well and truly Boros' to keep. Walton converted from in front of the posts.

With the score sitting at 27-5 and Littleborough seemingly in comfortable control, the visitors found a chink of light in the form of a score completely against the run of play. Didsbury inside centre Dion Bracewell ran onto a loose Boro pass and went the length of the pitch to make it 27-12 with the conversion in front of the posts to boot.

Park scored a sensational try picking up the ball from the ruck before scooting and slicing through a tired Didsbury defensive line to score under the posts.

The influential Stuart Bairstow crossed the whitewash with a charge from around 10 metres out. Nobody was going to stop the second row from there and he effectively sealed the game for Boro, much to the delight of a boisterous crowd.

Littleborough with a lead of 39-12 nearing the end of the game, still had time to dance through for another score as crafty Park quick-tapped just a few metres from the Didsbury line to dive over an opportunistic try.