Quite rightly this was billed as the top game of the season so far for both clubs and, although many expected it to be a close encounter, it was far from it as the Marl Pits side dominated straight from the kick off and, save for a final rally by the visitors in the closing in minutes, it was one way traffic for most of the game.

Against a big Blackburn pack Rossendale adopted a simple game plan of kicking for territory to force the opposition to attack from well within their own half. It paid off as, on a platform of solid defence, the more fluent and agile home side began to create mayhem in the Blackburn ranks with neat inter passing and quality handling.

Rossendale opened with a try just after fourteen minutes as Denny Solomona drove up from a scrum penalty and from the break down the ball popped up for Ben Stephens to crash over under the posts.

Constant forward pressure secured the second, Hungarian prop Roland Marki forcing his way over from close range.

From a penalty lineout it was Solomona again this time evading two tacklers to run in under the posts before taking the crash ball to set up John Tuia to rack up the fourth and the bonus point within the half hour.

Blackburn at last got into the game with a try from Corey Logan converted by Leon Fifield but from turn over ball inside the Rossendale half, Solomona brushed off would be tacklers to give Ben Stephens an easy run in from the ‘22’to close the half 35-7 in the home side’s favour, all five tries converted by Lewis Allen.

In the second period Ben Stephens notched up his hattrick, driven over from a penalty line out close to the Blackburn line.

With the game now into the final 10 minutes and the result beyond doubt Blackburn, managed two late tries from Lewis Kincart and Adam Joyner, both converted by Fifield.

Rossendale still head the table on 56 points ahead of Macclesfield also on 56 who defeated Stockport 7-50 and move up to second but behind the league leaders on points difference. Blackburn drop back to third.

The competition now takes a break until 6th January when Rossendale travel to the Wirral to take on Anselmians at Eastham Village Road.

Geoff Lightfoot