Rochdale 28 Pontefract 29
Dale introduced Riley Milson at hooker with Ben Coulter and Jonny Bradley as props. Pontefract were first time visitors at Moorgate Ave. having come down from level 5 last season. They had the obvious advantage of a huge pack but the big pitch could be a balancing factor as the game went on. Lots of early kicking from both sides testing defences with Dale coming out on top despite some early penalties a sign of things to come it was a penalty to the home side on half way which led to a line out on the Pontefract 22. A good take by Ben Sunderland and a drive by Emerson Lopes found a gap in the visitors line and over crashed 2nd row Dec Conner for a converted try 7-0 after 8 minutes played. Minutes later a deep kick was taken by Captain Josh Schofield who made good ground before finding winger Cliff Howard and great run saw him go in under the posts an easy conversion for Steve Collins 14-0 with 15 mins gone.
The Pontefract pack now woke up and a series of penalties saw them on the Dale 5m line using all their power to cross the line for a converted try 14-7. Dale had lots of the ball and with Steve Collins setting up chances good runs by Conner, Lopes and Ethan Poole tested the visitors defence, Collins tried a cheeky grubber kick which went dead before his backs could claim it.ext a promising break by Lopes saw his pass go forward and Pontefract were back on the attack with their scrum half Woolaston ruling the scrums and with the penalty count soaring Dale were back in their own 10 metre area and defending against the powerful Ponte pack, who on 35 minutes scored a 2nd try 14-12. With half time approaching both sides needed a score and it was Dale who provided the magic, winning a scrum on half way Danny Joesbury found centre Tom Hesketh who raced down the left wing outpacing the defence to score another trademark solo try a great touchline conversion saw the half time score 21-12 to Dale.
The 2nd half was punctuated by a series of penalties mostly to the visitors every time Dale cleared the ball another mistake saw the referee punish the home side keeping them penned in their own half and despite great tackling by Conner, Lopes and Sunderland Pontefract scored after a nice grubber kick split the Dale defence and saw the centre go in for an converted try 21-19 , game on. A crucial decision by Collins with a penalty in front of the posts 30m out he opted for a kick to touch and a line out well won by Declan Conner the Dale pack pressed on and Poole went in for a try converted by Collins 28-19. Was that enough for Dale to get the bonus and a win ? Pontefract were not sitting back as some teams have against the lively Dale attack but instead kept up with scrum and line out wins battering the Dale defence Callum Hill was brought on for some fresh legs but with mistakes and a lack of discipline the ref was turning against Dale and a series of penalties left them facing a penalty scrum on their own 22, good defence saw the visitors pack held 5 metres out tackling was fierce on both sides but it was young wing forward Ben Sunderland who was singled out for a yellow card.
The balance was clearly affected by the carding Pontefract found a gap in the Dale defenders to score their 4th try of the afternoon. So with score 28-26 and 5 minutes to go Dale were again on the attack with Emerson Lopes again breaking through the visitors defence on half way but just lacking support the ball was lost forward and from the resulting scrum Dale were penalized and something was said so the play went back another 10m to within kicking distance for Liam Kay who in a real grandstand finish slotted the ball high over the posts to give a final score of 28-29.
A good game of rugby with talented backs against a pack that just out performed Dale on the day. Next week its league leaders Bradford Salem away another big pack for Dale to test themselves against.
David Rhodes R.R.R.U.F.C.