U14s hold out for Cup win at Rochdale

The U14s showed a lot of character to hold out a determined Rochdale team in the second match of the Lancashire Cup competition.

With two withdrawals both due to hand injuries, a hint of the walking wounded for one or two and new players in odd positions Rossendale were in a weaker position to regroup after last week than they might have wished.

Sure enough Rochdale had come to make life hard and followed up our boys first score with their own piece of good fortune favouring their attack. The teams turned round at half time with another tight score line, like last week, and our boys noses in front. First up tackles being missed was hurting us badly and the abrasive play of the home side meant life wasn't easy at all up front.

A nice move early in the second half saw Rossendale stretch the lead, but the conversion would have mad us more comfortable. This only lead to a furious period of the home side pressuring our line to get their own score late in the half. Another missed kick saw the score stay in Rossendale's favour as the clock finally ran out.

A difficult win away but the boys showed plenty of character to get over the line by the narrowest of margins and in the face of some provocation at times. Plenty to work on in training and the friendlies before Cup round 3 in November.