Stockport 60 Rochdale 14
Dale visited Headlands Road for the first time in many years with some key players missing – Jonny Bradley and Ben Sunderland from the pack being replaced by Ben Coulter at hooker and Emerson Lopez at wing forward.
On a day of sunshine and heavy showers Dale faced a strong breeze in the 1st half. The Port fly-half Zac Stephens hoisted a high kick over the Dale defence for the winger to take and run in the 1st try of the afternoon 5-0 after only 5 minutes of the match.
Dale were soon back in the match with Steve Collins kicking into the Port 22 and, after winning the line out ball, Dale looked to be moving towards a score. Dougie Poole had a charge at the line but was held up short. Emerson Lopez was the next to break for the visitors after good play at the scrum on the home side’s 10 metre line. He burst through the defence only to be held up short as well. Port had another scrum on the half way line, and a nice cross-field kick by Stephens found the winger free to glide into the corner again. The conversion was missed so 10-0 after 20 mins.
Dale defended well under a lot of pressure with Harry Hayes and Steve Collins holding up the rampant Port backs, but following another penalty for not retiring, a deep kick saw them on the Dale 22, and following a good passing move a 3rd try was added. This time the conversion in front of the posts made it 17-0 with 25 minutes gone. It was going to be a long afternoon…
As the rain showers came down Dale, brave as usual, were penalised yet again leading to a lineout on their 22. The ball went back to fly half Stephens who launched another high cross-field kick for the powerful winger Perry to take and cut inside to beat the last defender. 22-0 after 35 mins.
Dale would not lie down and it was captain Josh Schofield who came up with a nice solo effort against his old club, jinking past the Port defenders to score a converted try 22-7.
From the deep restart, a fumbled take led to a free kick for crossing and another chance for the strong home pack to assert their authority and score in the corner right on half time. A good conversion from the touch line meant the score was 29-7 as the sides went in and Dale had a mountain to climb.
Dale started the 2nd half strongly with good running by Cliff Howard and Joe Horne took them to the home 22. Collins fed the ball to scrum-half Danny Joesbury who was held up on the line – the referee being right on the spot. Again from the re-start Dale were on the front foot when, having taken a good catch on half way, Schofield went on a run only to be swamped by defenders and penalized for not releasing. Port now had a purple patch taking advantage of a series of penalty decisions – the last for a high tackle on the visitors 22 leading to good passing move, and a try to the centre Hughes. 36-7 with 20 minutes still on the clock. Two more tries in the next 10 minutes took the score to 48-7.
Dale defended well and kept getting chances but without really looking like scoring. When an overlapping move on the left saw the Port winger round the Dale full-back, the score moved on to 55-7.
Collins kept trying to chip the Port defence but the home defenders were able to counter and as full time approached another unconverted try saw the score reach 60-7.
However in a final twist Dale got to within 5 metres of the home line and, following a good ruck, prop Dougie Poole (who had a great game) crashed over for a consolation try, converted by Collins making the final score 60-14.
Another hard day at the office but next week, with players returning, the home game against Derby should be a good contest.
David Rhodes R.R.U.F.C.