Year Summary 2005
At the start of the season - Macclesfield's second in Three North - the intention of Steve Rule & Dave Muckalt was to capitalise on the satisfactory 9th spot achieved in their fist season after promotion.
The season did not start well with a defeat at Fylde in the opening game but the squad got back on track with a convincing victory over Kendal at Priory Park in the second outing before falling to our bogey side - Chester - in the Powergen Cup in the first round.
Losing the previous season's top scorer - Gary Bell - with a broken arm did not assist but in Mike Newell there was a more than adequate replacement and he took the fly half role with aplomb during the season to finish up as the premier scorer for the club.
A five match winning run during October and early November saw the side move into second place behind Halifax - a spot that they were to retain to the surprise of many within the league through to a play off in Cornwall at the end of the season. Unusually four of the early run of victories was achieved by the close scoreline of 18-13.
38 players featured in the side during the season and the fact that Macclesfield is a club with no pretensions of the recruitment that goes on in rugby these days bodes well for the club with an essentially young squad (16 players under 25) that can only get better with time.
Unfortunately the season ended as a bit of a damp squib with four defeats including a play off at Redruth before a vociferous home crowd but including plenty of Macclesfield support in `Hell Fire Corner'. This was followed just trwo days later by a Cheshire Cup Final defeat at the hands of fellow Three North club - New Brighton - as a virtual reserve side almost gained success in a narrow 18-25 defeat with the winning try coming in injury time. Sadly in the play off game Player/Coach Dave Muckalt broke his arm and his influence was missed.
Veteran club captain Rick Jones along with the coaching team was well pleased with the overall performances of the weason.
We wish Halifax - worthy winners of the league - continued success in National Two and similarly Redruth who were deserved winners in the play off. We will watch with interest how their respective seasons pan out as Macclesfield seek to maintain the roll of what has been the most successful season that the club has ever experienced.
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