Sandal RUFC came to Marl Pits with their tails up, after winning their first two National League 3 North games and scoring over 100 points. The hosts, Rossendale RUFC, were coming into the game after two defeats, so really needed to step up and make their mark on the game.

The first half saw Dale looking the stronger side, attacking up the slope but with the wind behind them. The first score went to the home side on the 15 minute mark, with Sam Lowthian receiving a wide ball down the right wing, sprinting forward 30 metres before an audacious chip and chase to score the first try. Dale spent the majority of the next 10 minutes applying the pressure, but some good creative running from the Sandal backs saw them making advances into Rossendale territory. From one of these breaks, Dale were adjudged to have joined the side of the ruck, allowing Sandal to score from the resulting penalty, just inside the 22. A further try from Sandal just before half time, saw the first half close Dale 5 – 8 Sandal.

Sandal started the second half much more brightly, and quickly made ground through the Dale half and crossed the whitewash to extend their lead with an unconverted try. However, this was to become the last points scored by Sandal. Rossendale started to apply the pressure, with Steve Nutt first missing a difficult kick, shortly followed by an excellent penalty kick through the posts from 45m to close the gap. Sam Lowthian came close to bagging his second try after a neat piece of play from fly half James Bramhall, but the referee judged that the ball was held up by the Sandal defence and a 5m scrum awarded instead. The next 15 minutes saw Sandal resisting the powerful advances from the Dale forwards until the visitors surrendered their lead after a series of penalties led to a lineout on the Sandal 5m line, followed by a powerful drive over the line and the try scored as Paddy Pole dropped over the line. The successful conversion from Steve Nutt made the score 15 – 13 in Dale’s favour and led to a tense last 10 minutes with just 2 points in it. The tension was finally broken when Steve Nutt slotted another excellent long-range penalty shortly before the whistle to make the final score Dale 18 – 13 Sandal.

It was a much-needed and well deserved victory for the hosts, who now look forward to the long trip to Billingham next Saturday, to play the recently promoted side, currently sitting 2 places above Rossendale in the league.