Browse Sections

• Stockport County FC
• Sale Sharks
• Local football
• Local cricket

Games running out for Marple

25/ 2/2004

Trentham 20
Marple 18

TRY as hard as they might, Marple appear unable to haul themselves away from the South Lancs/Cheshire 3 relegation zone, and their defeat at New Inn Lane has guaranteed them a nail-biting end to the season.

"We lost a game we should have won," said club press officer Simon Owens.

"The worrying thing now is that we only have four league games left in which to avoid relegation."

Marple began badly and conceded an early converted try, but hit back with a Jim Duffy penalty after he was tackled off the ball following a clever chip ahead.

Trentham's forwards dominated the scrums and line-outs, starving Marple of the ball, but when they did get it they scored three excellent tries although a pushover try for the home side handed them a 12-3 lead at the break.

Marple suffered a double injury blow when Iain Shawcross went off after 50 minutes with winger Mark Smith following 10 minutes later.

But they then enjoyed their best spell of the game.

Full-back Luke Green scored a brilliant try after running rings around Trentham's back line defence.

And Marple's fightback continued with Duffy adding two tries of his own to reduce the gap even further, but Trentham stretched their advantage with the game's final try and penalty.

"We were never really in the game, and starved of the ball allowed Trentham to dominate possession and territory," added Owens.

On Saturday, Marple host Manchester Wanderers at Wood Lane, kick off 2.30pm.