Bradford Salem 22 Rochdale 24
After last weeks last minute defeat at home Dale travelled to League leaders Bradford Salem hoping to improve in the scrum and line out and take points off the side seen to be their main rivals. With Matty Johnston unavailable Ethan Poole moved into the centre and Emerson Lopes to No.8.
On a smaller pitch than they are used to Dale had the first half advantage of a gusty wind behind them, Steve Collins was determined to use the boot to get into Salem’s half and hold their powerful backs there. The first effort was too strong and went dead leading to a scrum on half way Dale’s defence held fast with Lopes and Harry Hill backed up by Riley Milsom and Declan Conner holding the home sides determined attacks. Salem are not used to such strong tackling and Dale won a scrum on their 22 after a dropped ball and Collins made the most of the possession getting his forwards close to the line and winning a penalty for not releasing, a chip forward caused the Salem full back to touch down behind his own try line and another scrum Danny Joesbury put in and collected neatly Ethan Poole was on hand to crash in under the posts and Collins converted 7-0. A good start but the home side were stung into action and attack followed attack Dale held every thing until a penalty on the 22 led to a good Salem attack down the right wing and the huge centre Nouata crossed the line the conversion was missed so 7-5.
Dale were unfazed by this and were soon back in the home 22 with Collins running the show and with good work by Conner and Lopes another penalty scrum was awarded the ball was flicked out by scrum half Joesbury and ever present Steve Collins was on hand to nip in and score under the posts making the conversion a formality 14-5. More pressure from Salem who knew they were in a fight led to a series of scrums on half way in one of them the referee saw a high tackle and a yellow card was issued against a Dale player, it must be said that it was not the first high tackle Dale having been on the wrong end of several not seen by him. The loss of a player again altered the balance of the game and Salem scored after some good pressure with a converted try 12-14.
Minutes later Dale suffered another blow when hooker Milsom was injured in the scrum so on came Jonny Bradley a popular choice in this cut and thrust type of game, the scrum held and despite being under lots of pressure Dale still had a good amount of ball until another late tackle saw 2nd row Paddy O’Loughlin carded so the visitors were down to 13 men. An attack by Salem was held in the Dale 22 but a free kick for offside led to another scrum this one closer in the result was a pushover try but with the kick again missed the half time score was 17-14.
The 2nd half started at the same frenetic pace as the first the wind now in Salem’s favour led to more kicking but as Collins had found in the 1st half the ball took off if kicked too high and a ball back from the re-start gave Dale a scrum on half way a good break by Lopes was followed up by Sunderland and Conner and the visitors were up to half way and restored to 15 men it was a more even contest especially when the referee finally lost patience and yellow carded the Salem 2nd row for a high tackle on Bradley. Harry Hayes was on now and making his usual breaks from wing forward he was unlucky to see the ball go forward when only 5 metres out.
Salem were next on the score sheet when a good passing move saw them finally outpace the Dale defence and score in the corner ,again the conversion went wide 22-14. The home crowd fancied their favourites chances now but this young Dale side are plucky and talented and with an old warrior like Steve Collins leading them never say die is their motto. Good runs by Hayes, Lopes and Declan Conner had Dale on the home 22 and a penalty with minutes to go saw the lineout again well taken and Conner power over for his 2nd try in as many weeks of course Collins as cool as ever slotted the conversion against the howling cross wind 22-21.
Salem kept coming and only stubborn Dale defence held them at bay, the boot of Collins pegged them back and with only minutes left to full time the visitors were in the home side’s 22 metre area a penalty was given and even that distance out and the wind shaking the posts Collins had to go for the points and in a complete reversal of last week’s game the ball sailed over to give a final score of 22-24 to Dale.
This was an awesome performance against a side unbeaten at home for a long time and despite being down to 13 players in the 1st half Dale proved what a hard team to beat they are. Next week we are at home to Moortown in a 2.15 kick off.
David Rhodes R.R.U.F.C.