Toc won the toss and decided to play into the strong breeze, attacking the Tennis Court End of

This seemed to spur the home boys into action. The Moor back row and midfield gradually upped the pressure on any ball the visitors won, and mistakes ensued. Superior support play and intelligent offloading in contact saw Moor threaten in the Toc 22, and quick wide ball gave Matt Goodwin an easy run-in from 30 yards to open the home account with a try in the left corner. It was a particularly pleasing moment for the Moor wing who has just returned from months of tests following a perplexing but serious injury. My Goodwin-ness, was he ready for a game!?! Jaz narrowly missed the conversion attempt and Moor led, 5-3.

With hindsight, one might say that the writing was on the wall. However, it was a photo on the dressing room wall that spoke a thousand words. The Moor vice skipper losing his face in a mountainous valley had provided a humorous but pertinent message to his troops – “get stuck in and you’ll come out smiling.”  Jaz applied himself with supreme commitment and his decision-making was excellent throughout the match. Moor certainly did concentrate on getting stuck in, and the smiles broadened as the afternoon went by. Moor increased their lead when Tom Ireland (strangely left behind by the 2^nd XV) pressured the Toc midfield into an error, and Moor swarmed onto the ball – great interpassing saw Chabal crash over and Jaz slotted the conversion with aplomb. Mark Graham and Stevie Lyons were now bossing the midfield with superb defence, and Toc never looked like breaking through. A sweetly-timed scissors between the Group Captain and Mark saw the latter slice beautifully into a wide gap. Superior support play saw Lyons step between the last two defenders to register a well-deserved try, again converted by Jaz.

From the restart, the rejuvenated colossus, Rob Coates, gathered and launched a one-man attack. He is improving with each game and is close to being back to fighting form – great news for the home team. Having bounced a few defenders, Rob set great ball for the forwards to drive on. A box-kick from the Moor skipper bobbled around and Matt Goodwin pounced for his second. Jaz converted and Moor led 26-3. Pooley was looking dangerous in the loose, and did some brilliant work in the mauls to deny Toc quick possession - he's a joy to watch when his head is screwed on the right way. Pooley's belligewrent runs in open play led to Moor making many good yards as he off-loaded in contact to maintain momentum, as did many of his team-mated throughout the match.

Moor continued into the second half in much the same vein. Greg Michael, back from injury, was clearly enjoying himself but decided to rest his ankle, and Rob took a bang on the head and was replaced by Andy Reason. Rick Lindsay did a more than adequate job at scrum half, and was strangely penalised for the tackle of the match! Matt Goodwin strolled in for another couple of tries to take his personal tally to 4 – a bigger smile on Tiny’s face you’re unlikely to see! His third came from a rampaging act of destruction and support play up the right wing in which Poole, Ireland, Chabal and Wood carried out some extremely effective piggy ball, then the ball was slung wide to the waiting left wing. Matt fainted to go outside, slowed, and waited for the gap to open before knifing through to touch down under the sticks. It must be said that he should have earned his hat-trick before half time, but the ref (Harry from Toc H) adjudjed a forward pass from all of 35 yards away when Matt had the line at his mercy. Tiny thanked the ref for denying his son a threesome and thereby avoided the paternal jug-purchasing requirement. Tiny’s luck was soon to run out!

Moor benefited from one penalty all match. ‘Nuff said.

Matt’s final try was a peacheroonie. Jaz cleared from the home 22 and Matt followed up the punt. A Toc defender rose near the touchline and slapped the ball into the field of play, much to the surprise of his two waiting buddies. The alert Goodwin, following up at pace, ran on and gathered the ball on the first bounce and giggled his way to the Hs – when you’ve got the run of the ball, you make the best of it, and Matt certainly did. Four tries on your return from injury more or less merits Man-of –the-Match, doesn’t it?

Moor continued to control the match and eventually cheered Toc from the park having secured a 40 – 3 victory. The Group Captain could hardly proffer enough praise on his troops. This performance was as complete as any witnessed all season, and Moor had out-done Toc brilliantly in every department, thoroughly deserving this emphatic victory. More to come next week at Burnage.