Mowden turn on the style against Macclesfield

WHAT a difference six months makes. This was far from the pulsating cliff-hanger in which Macclesfield snatched automatic promotion at the death last April.

Like Hull Ionians before them, their failure to strengthen will see them relegated, while Mowden are now level with Tynedale and Blaydon in mid-table.

A crowd of 835 at The Northern Echo Arena saw Mowden turn on the style after laying what looked a fairly rocky platform in the first half. It proved to be a launching pad from which they overwhelmed their visitors.

In scoring four second half tries they produced some slick rugby, but the pushover they scored against the head from a five-metre scrum underlined the transformation since the April clash.

Macclesfield relied exclusively on forward power that day; this time they were shunted around as newcomers like prop Matt Shields and lock Rob Conquest proved they have settled in well for Mowden.

The strength and conditioning work undertaken by England age group players also told as 19-year-old front row men Paul Hill and Jack Walker were outstanding.

Even at a level or two below National One Mowden will remember when the best teenagers struggled to mix it with the men. These two were thoroughly at home and Hill must have pushed Shields close for the man of the match award.

After starting on the bench, Walker finished the match in the back row after spending half an hour as a replacement for hooker Matt Thompson, who went back on to bring his experience to bear in the last 15 minutes.

Mowden scored three tries in that time, the last two being sparkling efforts from long range after the pushover added to Ollie Hodgson’s tally. The Middlesbrough product is developing into a very effective No 8.

Thompson joined on loan from Newcastle but has now severed his long-standing ties with the Falcons, and finding enough game time for him, Walker and Charlie Maddison will be an interesting exercise.

Fly half Garry Law was a little off colour in the first half, not helped by a lack of quick ball. He missed an early penalty and had an interception try ruled out for off-side.

But the Scot atoned after the break, skilfully setting up two of the tries while adding his second penalty and landing all the conversions.

After having nothing to show for their early domination, Mowden comfortably held out under brief pressure from Macclesfield then went ahead after 20 minutes.

Callum Mackenzie stepped inside off the left wing then sent Cameron Mitchell racing for the line and supported to take the scoring pass when the captain was stopped just short.

Law converted and added an easy penalty on the stroke of half-time for a 10-0 lead.

Seven minutes later excellent work by Law and Mackenzie set up a try for scrum half Max Connon.

Macclesfield responded when the left winger came into the line at pace, but Hodgson’s pushover removed any doubt about the outcome.

Law made a classic break on halfway before passing inside for replacement centre Lewis Johnson to race over and the final try stemmed from Connon breaking from a ruck deep in his own half.

He fed Conquest on the charge and the lock shrugged off a tackle before sending winger Chris McTurk clear.

Macclesfield were allowed a soft try at the death, but it would be scant consolation after conceding 41 points for the second successive week. Mowden will face a much sterner test at Esher this week.