Middlesbrough v Rossendale

... against a very good Middlesbrough side that are unbeaten at home and are extremely well organised and disciplined.

Rossendale used our ‘Get out of jail free card’ in a game that we probably should have lost and would have thought ourselves lucky to come away from it with anything.

We spent all of the first half defending our hearts out and at half time we felt quite fortunate to be only 10 – 3 down. Dale struggled to get the ball and on the few occasions we did poor handling and enforced errors cost us, however the one and only time we entered our opponents 22 we came away with a Bramhall penalty.

The second half started like the first and with Dale defending their line, however Brough only had a penalty and a fine taken drop goal to show for all their dominance. Dale were brave and defended with heart and at 16 – 3 down with 7 minutes to go finally decided to get off the bus and play. We kept the ball and ran through our phases. Middlesbrough were tiring and giving away penalties and eventually, with 2 minutes to go, Jamie Albinson crossed for a fine try after great work from the forwards. Bramhall added the conversion for consolation and a losing bonus point, or so we all thought, but the game was far from over.

Middlesbrough kicked off and the referee called the next time the ball goes out of play, game over. 16 – 10 Dale had nothing to lose and just played as if their lives depended on it and after several clean breaks and great off loads in the contact area Bramhall darted over and then completed a remarkable comeback with the conversion to make it 16 – 17 in time for the final whistle.

The boys know that we under performed today and to stay in the top half of the table know that we have to play a whole lot better, but a result like this away from home against a team like Middlesbrough showed that we have come a long way in recent weeks and that we can fight till the death, hopefully not leaving it so late in forthcoming fixtures.

Team; Paul Wilcock, Roger Dennison, Arno De Jagar, Dave Wood, Ali Harper, James Bramhall, Jamie Albinson, Matt Mackenzie, Andy Dauncey, Johan Goosen, Tim Fourie, Paddy Pole, Danny Greenhaulgh, Paul Keys, Ian Marshall, Subs, Leyton Taylor, Cameron Thompson, Nathan Settle