Rossendale Senior Colts 24 - 30 Marple Senior Colts

Rossendale played hosts to Marple in the fourth round of the Raging Bull North West Colts Preliminary League in what, on paper, promised to be a very close affair. Rossendale were out of the blocks faster, with the first points on the board within two minutes as Idrees Nazir made a great break, drawing in the defenders before a perfectly timed pass to a support runner to dive in and score, with Henry Wilby adding the conversion. However, that was the last time Rossendale scored in the first half, as they seemed to stagnate, make too many unforced errors and were unable to get the back line to fire. Marple scored two converted tries and two penalties before the half ended Rossendale 7-20 Marple.

After a few moments of an encouraging team talk and some time for reflection at half time, the Dale lads went out in the second half looking a little sharper, but soon suffered another setback when Marple scored another converted try. Now the strength of character of the lads started to shine through, as they composed themselves and started to take the fight to the visitors with good phase play in the forwards and also getting the upper hands in both scrums and lineouts. It was a stolen lineout that led to the ball being moved into the Marple twenty-two and the forwards started a series of driving plays round the corner to create the opportunity for Charlie Coward to dive over for his first try for Rossendale. Dale scored another try after a good catch and drive pushed Dale upfield and eventually allowed Isaac Cornwall to make a break and smash his way through to score, with Henry Wilby adding the extras. As the clocked ticked away, Rossendale were really applying the pressure and Marple's discipline started to slip with several penalties conceded at the breakdown. In the last play of the game, from one of these penalties, Isaac Cornwall again crossed the whitewash to score and close the game Rossendale 24 - 30 Marple.

Man of the match went to Isaac Cornwall for an energetic and aggressive showing throughout.