NORTHWICH 7 ROSSENDALE 68

Although with just two league matches remaining and unlikely to change the outcome at the top end of the table, there
was much to take away from this victory by the east Lancashire side.

With Zac Stephens playing in the unfamiliar position at outside centre the visitors were first on the scoreboard with a try by the regular full back taking advantage of a stolen line out and swift hands across the line, Lewis Allen adding the conversion.

An interception of a promising Northwich attack brought up the second for back row forward Ryan Carlson, Allen again doing the necessary.

The home side came into contention with a try by Led Jeckers converted by Joe Batt but with Charlie Murray driven over off an attacking line out Rossendale went in at the interval 7-19 ahead.

The second half was all Rossendale with Murray again to the fore, capitalising on some neat interplay between backs and forwards to bring up the bonus point.

It was Zac Stephens again this time with a superb dummy who racked up the fifth with a drop ball by Northwich snaffled up by Ben Stephens kept up the momentum with a sixth.

A break by Zac Stephens with a delicate inside pass opening the way for Allen to make it seven.

Another break by Zac Stephens got Sam Lothian away for the eight with Matt Lamprey making good ground to get hooker Harrison Dakin over.

It was left to albert Bradshaw to make it ten taking a cross field kick from Allen on the bounce to skirt in for the final try, all second half tries converted by the outside half.

Macclesfield remain at the top of Northwest Regional One following a 75-5 thrashing of Anselmians at Priory Park and with just two game to go away to Kendal and at home to Penrith they are now clear favourites to take the title and promotion.

This coming Saturday Rossendale who should now finish second are at home to bottom of the table Sandbach who went down 24-37 at home to Wirral.

Geoff Lightfoot