The Chronicle

Rockcliff are forced to fight for win

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ROCKCLIFF maintained top spot in Durham and Northumber­land Division Two with a hard-fought 44-14 win against third-placed Hartlepool.

The Red and Golds made a flying start with two tries in the first ten minutes.

The first came from a catch and drive from a line-out on the Hartlepool left wing on the fivemetre line.

The driving maul ended with No 8 Liam Bowman touching down.

Rhys Johnstone added the conversion for 7-0.

The second try came from another five-metre line-out.

This time the Rockcliff backs had the chance to show their skills, spinning the ball down the line from left to right for Charlie Muzzlewhit­e to go over in the left corner.

Johnstone was unlucky with his conversion attempt, the ball bouncing back off the crossbar.

Rockcliff then forced a line-out and from the resulting catch and drive Bowman was on hand to register his second try.

Again Johnstone was unlucky with the conversion, this time hitting the post.

The sides changed ends with Rockcliff leading 17-0.

Any home nerves were soon settled when from the restart Henry Cotton stormed through the Hartlepool defence to score the bonus-point try, converted by Johnstone for 24-0.

The visitors rallied, using their powerful pack to good effect, and they had Rockcliff pinned back in their 22-metre zone.

Excellent defence kept them out and when scrum-half Dan Leach relieved the pressure, hassling his opposite number into losing possession, a flowing move from Rockcliff saw the ball shipped out to winger Ryan Rapallo - who raced in from 50 metres out to score.

Johnstone found the target this time and Rockcliff were 31-0 up with 15 minutes left.

Hartlepool scored and converted two tries in the space of five minutes but Rockcliff forced two penalties as Pool scrambled to defend their line.

Johnstone converted both to up the score to 37-14 with five minutes left.

Rapallo had the final say, finishing off another flowing move to race through and score under the posts - a try converted by Johnstone.

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