This was the east Lancashire side at its best with forward dominance right from the kick and some enterprising play throughout the back line which included a hattrick for winger Albert Bradshaw with Harrison Dakin and Sam Lowthion grabbing a brace apiece.

Concerted pressure from the Rossendale pack opened the scoring with hooker Harrison Dakin being bundled over from short range.
Bradshaw went in for the second straight from the restart with a break from Zac Stephens and, with Lewis Allen acting as link man, the winger went half the length of the field to score.

Sandbach came into the game with a converted try but it was Bradshaw again who brought up the third for the visitors handing off a would be defender following quick ball from a scrum inside the Sandbach ‘22’.

In the closing minutes of the half a tap penalty and a break for Zac Stephens opened up the gap for the supporting Ben Stephens to sail through for the bonus point, all four tries converted by Allen.

Sandbach were first score in the second half, crossing for a try in the opening minutes.

However with Rossendale now in total control it was soon a return to business as usual as Dakin went in for the fifth benefitting from a poor clearance charged down by Ryan Carlson, the hooker up to take the loose ball.

Forward dominance created the opportunity for Bradshaw to bag his hattrick, again converted by Allen.

It was Carlson again who set up the seventh with a break from half way to send Lowthion speeding down the touch line, Allen tagging on the extras.
It was dominant forward pressure again that created the opportunity for Lowthion to run in for his second and his side’s eighth , Allen adding the conversion.

A massive drive by the pack got Manny Effiom over, Allen adding the extras

The tenth was a penalty try following a deliberate knock on as Lothian looked set to score with Calum Whelan standing out from another drive by the pack to bring up the eleventh, Allen again on target.

Macclesfield who were 38-22 victors at home to Kendal are in second spot with Blackburn who had no game still in third.

This Saturday Rossendale are away again this time to eighth placed Stockport who went down 26-29 at home to local rivals Anselmians. The Marl Pits side will be hoping for at least a repeat of their 40-10 win at home back in November.

Geoff Lightfoot