Quickly back in the groove at Moorgate
IN their first competitive game since March 2020 Rochdale welcomed newly promoted Orrell to Moorgate Avenue.
Fielding a young side with exiting backs, coach Danny Collins was aiming to use the width of the home pitch to advantage. The first five minutes featured a lot of kicking by both sides but it was a nice move by Ollie Coldman that set up the first try for Pat Gillian wide on the right 5-0.
Orrell bounced back with a good attack through the pack ending in a penalty in front of the posts – 5-3 with 15 minutes gone.
Good pressure by Dale saw them awarded a penalty on the Orrell 22 which Coldman converted to make it 8-3.
Scrum half Danny Joesbury was next on the score sheet when he jinked through the visitors’ defence to score on the half hour. The conversion went wide, 13-3.
Returning full back Josh Schofield showed his speed with a jinking run down the left wing to release Matt Buckley who changed angles and came inside to score a great try, converted by Coldman, 20-3.
Pat Gillian had another chance to add to his try tally just before half time but, after beating several defenders, saw the ball go forward in the tackle. Half time 20-3.
The second half started with Orrell having a penalty miss under the posts before the Dale backs came into their own, moving the ball across half way and the final pass putting in Pat Gillian for his second try, converted, to make it 27-3.
Though Orrell continued to try to batter their way through the Dale defence, their pack looked sluggish.
Joesbury and Coldman were running the midfield and were unlucky to see several good chances fall just short while Matt Buckley was stopped by a desperate tackle on the try line.
Minutes later Tom Hindle pounced on a loose pass on the 22 and crashed through the visitors defence to make it 32-3.
A scrum to Orrell on half way made few inroads and when Schofield collected a high kick he made good yards to release Coldman who scored and converted his own try, 39-3.
The next score was a training ground move. Following another break by Gillian the ball went from Schofield to Coldman and out to winger Buckley who cruised over the line to make it 46-3 following the conversion.
Minutes later Dale had their seventh try when Buckley cut inside and set up Schofield for his second try, 53-3.
Orrell kept going and after a series of rucks in the Dale 22 went over for an unconverted try 53-8.
Joesbury was in the act again on 75 minutes after a scrum on the visitors 22 he passed to Rob Wadsworth who made no mistake going over by the posts 60-8.
Josh Schofield scored a super solo try taking his tally to three tries and the score to 65-8.
With only minutes left Orrell to their credit had one last attack and managed a second try to make the final score 65-15.
A superb performance from the whole side and a welcome back to Josh Schofield.