Moor completed their league programme with a game at Green Lane last Saturday against league strugglers Windermere and looked favourites to end with a 100% record. This, however, was not a certainty as in the match between the sides just before Christmas, Moor struggled to win 16-10 in heavy conditions and were now missing six first choice players from their starting line up.

The early play was pretty even as within the first 15 minutes both sides exchanged penalty kicks and it wasn’t until midway through the half that the pressure Moor had been building up began to pay off. The opening try came from flanker Ben Tumata, following a surging run by full-back Martin Snidal that scythed open the Lakelanders defence, fly-half Martin Shelley being just wide with the conversion. This signalled the start of regular scoring by the home side to the end of the game, with the scoreboard ticking over on average every 6 minutes. The next try came from a solo effort by centre Phil Thomas and shortly afterwards he was again on hand to bulldoze his way over following a break by Snidal and taken on by Tumata. The latter then crossed for his second try which Shelley successfully converted for the first time, to make the interval score a comfortable 25-3 to Moor.

Within 2 minutes of the re-start, Shelley made a sublime break and streaked away to score wide out, which proved to be the first of his hat-trick. This was followed almost immediately by an interception try from winger Chris Sutton, giving Shelley the simplest of conversions. There then followed what seemed an uncharacteristically long delay before the next score, but it was well worth the wait as some quick handling by the Moor back line tore open the opposition defence and Shelley was on hand to score his second try. This was followed by a bizarre incident, again involving that man Shelley, as he was penalised for crossing and in frustration back-heeled the ball on the run over his head with the intention of it crossing between the Hs and Shelley showboating. However, the ball hit the bar and fell into the fly-half's hands via his face but also dislodged the crossbar at the same time - a narrow escape for Shelley and the opposition! Following quick repairs, the fly-half made good his error by dummying his way under the posts for his hat-trick and his third conversion.

From the re-start Moor were again on the attack and hooker Jon Jenks threw a miss-pass out to Snidal joining the back line at pace, for him to score out wide. Although metaphorically on the ropes, Windermere were not out and in the last 10 minutes were able to utilise their larger forwards to good effect as they scored 2 consolation tries, one of which was converted. The first came from a push-over try following a scrum on the Moor 5-metre line, much to the delight of their weary pack, and the second from another of their forwards as he forced his way over following a quickly taken tap-penalty. Moor sealed their victory, 61-15, with the last play of the game, as Tumata crossed for his own hat-trick, which Shelley converted to take his personal tally to 26 points in the match and enhance his chances of being a contender for player of the season.

Moor now wait to see who their opponents will be the Lancashire Plate final, which is scheduled to take place on Monday 5^th May at Preston Grasshoppers, but this is by no means certain as one of the quarter-finals and then semi-finals is yet to be played.