The first game of the season kicked off in front of a buzzing home crowd as Marple welcomed the formidable lads from Sale FC Norsemen. Right from the first whistle, Sale came out firing, pinning Marple deep in their own half with relentless pressure. But Marple's defence stood tall — a textbook display of grit and discipline that kept the visitors at bay.

Momentum started to shift after a crunching, illegal tackle from Sale earned them a yellow card and handed Marple a penalty. Sensing the opportunity, the home side began punching holes through the middle of the pitch, building phases and gaining ground. Another penalty inside Sale’s 22 was quickly tapped by scrum-half Angelo Shephard, catching the defence on their heels and setting up a potential try in the corner — only for it to be ruled out by the touch judge's raised flag.

But Marple weren't done yet. Just before halftime, another sustained attack saw Kevin Melvin crash over the line to notch the first official try of the season. Shortly after, an injury to one of Sale’s front rowers led to uncontested scrums, briefly halting Marple’s growing dominance up front.

Sale responded with a penalty deep in Marple territory and opted to go for the posts — a well-struck kick closed the gap to 5–3 as the first half came to a close.

Halftime Changes Spark New Energy

The second half began with fresh legs on the pitch — both props swapped out, and Paul Shawcross slotted in at centre. Sale once again took advantage of a penalty in a prime position and, in a low-scoring affair, wisely took the three points to edge ahead 5–6.

But their lead wouldn’t last long.

With scrums returning to contested after Sale’s own substitutions, Marple’s forward pack began to assert themselves with power and precision. Craig Bennison at No. 8, Paul Shawcross in the midfield, replacement prop Phillip Graaff, second-rower Ben Kirkham, and captain hooker James Chidgey all put in strong, surging carries. The pressure told — Ben Kirkham powered over the line for Marple’s second try. With the conversion just wide, the scoreboard read 10–6.

Momentum Builds – Marple Take Control

The game opened up as both sides traded attacks, but it was Marple who began to seize control. Even with a few frustrating penalties stalling progress in Sale’s 22, the breakthrough eventually came. A slick counter-attack down the right-hand side ended with Angelo Shephard dotting down in the corner — a thrilling finish to a sweeping move. From the toughest angle on the pitch, Will "Topo" Topham slotted the conversion like a veteran, extending Marple’s lead to 17–6.

With the clock ticking down and confidence running high, Marple weren’t done yet. Spotting an overlap out wide, the ball was spun quickly through hands — including an ambitious run on the wing from one of our props who wasn’t going to be denied his moment of glory. A sublime offload sequence ended fittingly with Phillip Graaff barreling over the line to seal the game. The conversion drifted wide, but it didn’t matter — the scoreboard read 22–6 and the result was sealed.

Final Score: Marple 22 – Sale FC Norsemen 6

A solid, spirited performance from both sides, but a deserved win for Marple, who start the season on a high. Strong defence, sharp decision-making, and a few moments of brilliance made all the difference. On to the next!

Man of the match:
Olly Hope