Buoyed by a 5-point win last week Dale travelled to Brantingham Park to take on 4th placed Hull Ionians who shut Dale out at Marl Pits earlier in the season. The sun was shining and the large flat pitch was looking good, inviting both teams to produce some running rugby which they duly did for the large crowd in the stand.

Dale pressed well in the opening minutes, but it was the hosts who were the first on the scoreboard. Dale were penalised around half way the ball was kicked deep into the Dale half. A catch and drive from the line out resulted in a try. The conversion was missed. 5-0.

Not being downhearted Dale continued to attack the hosts defence probing away right across the field, but were unable to press home the advantage and get over the line. Ionians managed to clear the ball to around half way, but it was back in Dale’s hands. It was slipped to Owen Boxall who crashed through a couple of tackles before accelerating towards the try line diving over close to the posts. Finn Rogers added the extra and Dale were ahead 5-7. This was just reward for a period of constant pressure.

Dale soon extended their lead. Sam Bedlow chipped ahead, with Brendan Berry giving chase. The host’s full back collected the ball, but was quickly pounced on by Berry. The defender was penalised for holding on. Dale took a quick tap and the ball was slipped sharply across the back line and out to winger Terence Babarinsa who gratefully accepted the pass going over in the corner. From out wide Finn Rogers slotted over the conversion leaving the score 5-14.

The hosts then clawed their way back in to the game with a second try. They won the ball from a line out on the right wing. The drive was thwarted by the Dale defence, but the ball made its way infield and despite a sterling effort in defence Ionians managed to scramble over. The conversion was good. This was the last action of the half, with the score 12-14.

Dale started the second half well, but soon found themselves a man down when Mac Duaibe was shown a yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage Dale scored a further try. Bedlow kicked deep into the host’s half with man of the match Berry once again giving chase. He arrived just as the full back caught the ball, stripping it from his hand and diving over. Once again Rogers added the conversion and Dale’s lead extended to 12-21.

Ionians quickly narrowed the gap, scoring their third try. They turned the ball over in their own half. The ball was chipped through with the winger winning the chase and going over wide right. The conversion drifted wide left and the score was now 17-21.

With Dale still a man down the hosts re-took the lead. Dale were pressing forward, but the pass out to Babarinsa was intercepted and the winger went in the corner again. The conversion was good and they now led at 24-21.

Dale continued to press forward and probe away at the host’s defence. Following his 10- minute rest in the sin bin Duaibe crashed his way over for Dale’s fourth. This had followed a period of play where Dale’s big men repeated battered the defensive wall, weakening it enough for Duaibe to complete the attack. Rogers kept his 100% record with the boot and Dale were back ahead at 24-28.

Ionians did not give up though, showing why they are 4th in the league. From another Dale penalty the ball was kick deep down the right wing and another catch and drive from the line out allowed them to force the ball over. The conversion drifted wide left, but the hosts had regained the lead at 29-28.

Dale benefited from another kick and chase. They managed to turn over the ball mid-way in the host’s half and found themselves with numbers on the right. The ball was slipped out to Luckas Sableman-Blue on the right wing who dived over in the corner. Dale were back ahead at 29-32 with Rogers’ conversion to come from the touchline. Again, he was successful extending the score to 29-35.

There were around 8 minutes left in the game and the hosts were still within one converted try of stealing victory, but Dale had other ideas. They kept the hosts at bay and as the clock ticked down, once again, found themselves mid-way in the host’s half. Ionians were penalised around the breakdown. Rogers chose to go for goal rather than touch. A successful kick would put them ahead 29-38, meaning the hosts would have to score twice. The kick sailed straight down the middle. This proved to be the last kick of the game and Dale had secured a well-deserved victory 29-38.

Tries were shared evenly between the two sides, but Rogers’ unblemished record with the boot ultimately proved crucial in securing the win.
We have a two-week gap before entertaining Preston Grasshoppers at Marl Pits in the first of two Lancashire Derbies, the second being Fylde away in the penultimate game of the season.

Phil Johnson