Seconds not overawed by bigger pack

RUGBY UNION JOHN BRIDGE

LOCAL rivals Blackburn were Rossendale RUFC Second team’s visitors in the Cotton Traders Premier league return match, Dale having won the earlier encounter in the season at Ramsgreave Drive.

It was Blackburn that started the brightest, pushing Dale back into their own half and probing the home sides defence. The pressure gained Burn a penalty and a slim lead.

Rossendale hit back. Kane Bevan ran a lovely line onto a pass and gained valuable metres , a grubber kick through later in the half from the same player found its way through the Burn defence into the in goal area and despite a good chase Burn grounded the ball to defuse the situation.

Robbie Willetts drove the ball in well and was solid in defence.

A great tackle and ball strip by him to give us possession back around our 22 mark denied Blackburn any further chances in a period of dominance and started a counter attack for Rossendale during which both Callum Whelan and Oliver Molloy used their pace to outstrip the Blackburn defence before being thwarted by some good cover tackling.

Dale earned themselves a penalty which Tom Wareing duly converted and the scores were once again level.

Sadly Willetts had to leave the field injured a short time later and his absence was felt. Blackburn pressed into the Dale’s half and despite some good tackling by the home side couldn’t stop the visitors going in for a try just before half time.

Following on from the break it was nearly all Blackburn.

The pressure told for Rossendale and they succumbed to further scores seemingly taking the game well out of their reach.

At 24-10 down and with Rossendale now reduced to 13 on field players the mountain seemed to big to climb. Unless you’ve followed the Second team throughout this season off course, then you would realise that when the chips are down the Dale lads never give up. Saturdays game was a prime example . Some hope was restored when Israr Asif went over for a Rossendale try then a great passage of play saw Burns defence split open in the middle of the park , some excellent backing up by players and well timed off loads saw Matthew Hindley sprint the last 22 yards to record a further try and Wareing added the extras.

Dale were now one converted try away from levelling the game and Blackburn were worried , they duly admitted that post game. It was the numbers game however that put the final nail in the coffin.

With Dale having expended a lot of energy to make the come back the extra two men of Burn made it tell and on the final play of the game scored a converted try under the sticks to make a final score of 31-17 to the visitors.

Once again and its a common theme running through the season Rossendale created some great pressure but were guilty of turning the ball over in good positions almost acting as a 16 man in defence whilst the decision making at times also led us to gift possession away.

On a positive note, however, despite Blackburn having a much heavier pack the Dale lads were not overawed, there were some good moves through the backs and had the team defence not been as strong as what it was the score line could of been a lot higher.

Some other worthy performances to mention including Kieran Allen (first game back after a lengthy injury) and Tom Earnshaw battling hard up front.

Once again though no lack of commitment from any member of the squad representing Rossendale in this game.