Nothing could have offered Manchester - second in League Two North - a better indication of their potential and progress than this fourth round English cup tie against Premiership One opponents London Irish at a sodden and windswept Grove Park.
"Let's be honest," laughed their coach Alex Keay after seeing a shared first half overshadowed by a powerful forward effort from the Irish in the second. "It wasn't as if we'd booked the Petersham (where England stay before Twickenham appearances ) or anything like that.
"But if we keep playing like we did in the first 40 minutes against these lads I really think we can go up. That's our goal. We just have to regard the remaining league games as 13 more cup ties."
Certainly Manchester, who impressed the Irish with their efficiency and work-rate, could take as much satisfaction from their performances as the winners. "A drier day would have helped," thought Keay. "We play a top of the ground sort of game but, in the wet, their physical size did for us".
It was only when number eight Richard Yeabsley lock Gabriel Fulcher and flanker Ciaran Bird, with a supporting cast including eight internationals, took matters into their hands that the disparity between the sides became apparent.
Faced with repeated frontal assaults, too many of which were halted by brave but illegal means, Manchester lost their composure and any lingering hopes of an upset result. Even so the Irish emerged somewhat flattered by a 23-point margin of victory.
Manchester's lone try, which gave them a brief first-half lead, was probably as good as any of the Exiles' five. From a lineout ball from Dave Craddock, standoff Rod Ellis slipped the ball inside to Mat Hoskin who raced diagonally for 20 metres to beat three defenders and cross between the posts.
David Humphreys' kicking was wayward in the extreme while Niall Hogan too often chose the wrong option; especially in the first half when he was twice caught feeding his own hooker at five metre scrums. To make matters worse most back row moves were both predictable and slow.
Yet once they established a platform and played with width, giving the eager Niall Woods some room, they at least offered a reminder of how close they had got to beating Harelequins.
Scorers - Manchester: Try - Hoskin. Conversion - Swindells. Penalty goals - Swindells 2. Irish: Tries - Hogan, O'Shea, Humphreys, Bird, Woods. Conversions - Woods 3, Humphreys. Penalty goal - Woods.
MANCHESTER: Swindells (capt); Blood (Gross 67), Murison, Langhorn (Jee 40) Hoskin; Ellis, Green (Hanson 60); Simpkin (Dodds 73), Hewson (Adamson 78), Wheeler, D Craddock, Parker, P Craddock, Burgon (Kloss 63), Evans. LONDON IRISH: O'Shea (capt); Bishop (Hennessy 79), Burns, McCall, Woods; Humphreys, Hogan (Richards 79); Fitzpatrick, Kellam, Kershaw (Halpin 50), Fulcher, O'Kelly (Peters 71), Spicer (O'Connell 57), Bird Yeabsley)
Referee: G Warren (Bristol).
