Hoppers snapped a three game losing streak with a convincing performance over a struggling Manchester side that were severely outmatched from the outset. With a bonus point secured within the opening 20 minutes Hoppers were able to rack up a huge score that will go some way to help their point’s difference tally.
After turning the ball over inside the home 22, Hoppers almost scored when Sean Taylor was held up in goal. But, in a style that would become familiar throughout the day, the pack got a great shove from the resulting 5 metre scrum and James Smith had the simple job of touching down from the base.
Hoppers then took the game beyond Manchester in a dazzling five minute spell where they scored four tries and secured the bonus point. Cameron Berry was on the end of a flowing move following another turn over in Manchester territory, and after Taylor, Tom Ashton and Tom Hughes had combined well on the left wing Berry was available for the inside ball to score.
The next three tries came straight from the ensuing restarts as Hoppers collected the kicks and sliced through the visiting defence. First Wayne Steel showed a great turn of pace to make 30 metres and good support work left Luke Cunningham with the simple job of placing the ball by the posts. Then Matt Charters and Mark Rigbye made good ground before Rigbye’s good pass put Matt Hughes with the full back and the home winger stepped well to go in untouched. Tom Hughes then scored the try of the day in typical fashion as he cut a great angle on half way before evading four would be tacklers.
Hoppers pack continued to pile on the pressure, especially at the scrum where they first turned over a Manchester scrum 5 metres from the line and then smashed the visiting pack back over the line allowing Charters to touch down. It was pressure from the entire team that led to the final try of the first half as Manchester tried to keep the ball alive inside their own 22, but after only going backwards a terrible clearing kick went straight to Matt Hughes only a few metres from the line who collected and strolled across the line giving Hoppers a 41-0 lead at half time.
The second half started in the same fashion as the first with two tries being scored, by half time replacements, in the opening ten minutes. Mike Millward capitalised on a Manchester knock on and after not being held in the tackle his second effort was enough to power over the line. Paul White then got a try on debut after good work from Cunningham from a scrum on half way and when Nick Smith put Taylor into a huge gap the full back sprinted clear and the unselfishly off loaded to White to score in the right corner.
Cunningham then completed a hat trick with two tries touched down from the base of the scrum after the Hoppers pack had obliterated their opposite numbers, Manchester had replaced both starting prop’s in the first quarter of the game but Hoppers had too much power for any of the visiting forwards.
Manchester did get on the score board late on, even if there was some question over the legitimacy of the try. They managed to somehow keep the ball alive inside the Hoppers 22 and finally got a number advantage on the blind side and although it looked like he was in touch and had spilled the ball replacement prop Marcus Smkle-Knox was awarded the try.
Hoppers however rounded off the scoring with the final play of the game when Millward stole the ball and Taylor hit yet another great line and had too much pace for the covering defence for a well deserved try.
There will be much harder tests of Hoppers throughout the season but there were impressive sign in both attack and defence with a dominant performance from the pack and when the ball is released to the backs there is great pace and skill to trouble the best teams.
Hoppers then took the game beyond Manchester in a dazzling five minute spell where they scored four tries and secured the bonus point. Cameron Berry was on the end of a flowing move following another turn over in Manchester territory, and after Taylor, Tom Ashton and Tom Hughes had combined well on the left wing Berry was available for the inside ball to score.
The next three tries came straight from the ensuing restarts as Hoppers collected the kicks and sliced through the visiting defence. First Wayne Steel showed a great turn of pace to make 30 metres and good support work left Luke Cunningham with the simple job of placing the ball by the posts. Then Matt Charters and Mark Rigbye made good ground before Rigbye’s good pass put Matt Hughes with the full back and the home winger stepped well to go in untouched. Tom Hughes then scored the try of the day in typical fashion as he cut a great angle on half way before evading four would be tacklers.
Hoppers pack continued to pile on the pressure, especially at the scrum where they first turned over a Manchester scrum 5 metres from the line and then smashed the visiting pack back over the line allowing Charters to touch down. It was pressure from the entire team that led to the final try of the first half as Manchester tried to keep the ball alive inside their own 22, but after only going backwards a terrible clearing kick went straight to Matt Hughes only a few metres from the line who collected and strolled across the line giving Hoppers a 41-0 lead at half time.
The second half started in the same fashion as the first with two tries being scored, by half time replacements, in the opening ten minutes. Mike Millward capitalised on a Manchester knock on and after not being held in the tackle his second effort was enough to power over the line. Paul White then got a try on debut after good work from Cunningham from a scrum on half way and when Nick Smith put Taylor into a huge gap the full back sprinted clear and the unselfishly off loaded to White to score in the right corner.
Cunningham then completed a hat trick with two tries touched down from the base of the scrum after the Hoppers pack had obliterated their opposite numbers, Manchester had replaced both starting prop’s in the first quarter of the game but Hoppers had too much power for any of the visiting forwards.
Manchester did get on the score board late on, even if there was some question over the legitimacy of the try. They managed to somehow keep the ball alive inside the Hoppers 22 and finally got a number advantage on the blind side and although it looked like he was in touch and had spilled the ball replacement prop Marcus Smkle-Knox was awarded the try.
Hoppers however rounded off the scoring with the final play of the game when Millward stole the ball and Taylor hit yet another great line and had too much pace for the covering defence for a well deserved try.
There will be much harder tests of Hoppers throughout the season but there were impressive sign in both attack and defence with a dominant performance from the pack and when the ball is released to the backs there is great pace and skill to trouble the best teams.
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