Dale started their season in level 5 with a home match against Wirral who finished 4th in this league last year. On a sunny afternoon at Moorgate Ave Dale turned out a strong side with all their players having come through the RRUFC ranks of Juniors and Colts.
The match got off to a great start for the home side when captain Josh Schofield took a high ball on half way and ran through two tackles and faced up to the Wirral full back who he chipped and ran round to take the ball on the try line for a great solo try. 5-0 – the conversion from Collins going just wide.
Wirral were soon back in the game as a couple of penalties against Dale saw them defending their 10 metre line. Good passing by the visitors led to a try and a simple conversion 5-7 with only 5 minutes gone. Dale now lost hooker Jonny Bradley to a muscle injury and on came Ben Coulter, not a bad swap. After a penalty, Dale found themselves in a good position on the Wirral 22 but the ball was lost forward and from the scrum the visitors pushed Dale back, forcing another penalty which allowed them in for a 2nd try in front of the posts, so 14-5 with only 20 minutes gone. The young Dale side battled well and had good breaks from Cliff Howard, Joe Horne and Josh Schofield all coming close to the visitors’ line.
The game became a battle between the two fly halves as Steve Collins and Chris Speed exchanged probing kicks and jinking runs. The two Dale 2nd rows did well against their more experienced opposite numbers but in the lineout Wirral were dominant. A good quick ball drew a penalty for a high tackle, saw Wirral take the option of a scrum and after being held on the Dale 5 metre line, they broke through to score a third try making it 21-5 as half time approached. This was not a bad deficit and Dale had another chance when Collins sent a nice side-footed chip over the Wirral defence, only to see the ball run dead. The next 5 minutes saw the game won by the visitors as some sharp passing and good distribution by Speed let in the winger for the 4th try 26-5. With only minutes to go to half time the rampant Wirral backs got through the Dale defence to score again. Half Time 33-5.
Dale started the 2nd half full of fire and determined to get back into the game and it was winger Cliff Howard who got his well-deserved try, converted by Collins to make it 12-33 and a glimmer of light for the home side. This was soon extinguished by a long pass by Speed to his winger who just reached the try line as tacklers closed in. A long conversion by the full back made it 12-40. Not to be outdone it was Steve Collins this time combining with Harry Hayes to get the ball back on the try line to score Dales 3rd try. The conversion went just wide leaving the score 17-40. The home side seemed to be back in the game when a promising break by captain Schofield was stopped on the Wirral 22. The visitors were pressing the Dale line and finally got through after some good defence by the home side’s backs. A converted try left the score 17-47. Collins was not finished yet and continued driving his men forward. Having got a free kick on the 22, he made a great move and squeezed over near the posts for his 2nd – and Dale’s 4th – try and a bonus point 24-47. The last 5 minutes saw Dale attacking and having received three penalties they were on the visitors’ 10 metre line, but a dropped pass ended the move. From the drop out, Wirral were able to win a lineout and a good passing move allowed them to score the final try 24-52 being the score.
A hard day for the young Dale side but some good performances from Jacob Jackson, Joe Horne, Cliff Howard as well as Steve Collins. Next week it is away to Stockport.
David Rhodes
R.R.U.F.C.
