Hopes alive for rampant Rossy
●● Leon Simpson was among the try-scorers for a dominant Rossendale at Birkenhead Park NORTH PREMIER BORKENHEAD PARK ... 19 ROSSENDALE................. 51 SHELDAN KEAY
ROSSENDALE RUFC sent out a statement to the rest of the North Premier division after a dominant victory away at Birkenhead Park.
It’s a long shot but with the sort of performance Rossendale put in on Saturday to run in eight ties against relegationbound Birkenhead Park, there is no reason why the east Lancashire club should not be challenging towards the top end of the table as the fixture backlog unfolds.
Rossendale were lively in the opening stages and good pressure from the pack allowed Ryan McKibbin to set up the opening try for Jason Lord.
From the restart a clever kick through into touch by Tom Leader and from a stolen line out Curtis Strong put George Peel in for the second before from another kick and chase Lewis Allen and Jack Ward combined to create the opportunity for Leader to add the third with a break by Nick Flynn from 20 metres driven on by the pack forcing a penalty try for the bonus score.
A break by Jack Ward set up great position for the pack to drive Reece Tomlinson over for the fifth.
Allen was on hand to convert three of the tries with a penalty affording the visitors a 36-7 lead, with Birkenhead’s score coming from a try by Josh Smith converted by Dave Allen, at the interval.
In the second period, a break by McKibbin moved on by Strong who broke the tackle to send Leon Simpson over for the sixth.
Pressure from the fowards and a neat loop round by Allen playing off Dominic Moon opened space for Lord to coast in for his second before a break by Allen from inside his own half got Peel to round of the scoring with his second and the side’s eighth.
The home side did manage to add to their tally with tries from Liam Sharples and Adam Wellington converted by Hall but the day and the spoils belonged to Rossendale.
The win leaves Rossendale sixth in the table, though they still have games in hand on all of the other sides in the division.
They’ll look to build on their impressive victory when they are back in action on Saturday, when they make the trip to Billingham, who sit one place above them in the table. Billingham head into the match on the back of a 42-7 win over Sandal last weekend.