But already with half their pack sidelined through injury in addition to losing both Alex Isherwood and Tom Short taken off injured after just 26 minutes and without captain Jamie Albinson this was always going to be a difficult contest for the east Lancashire club. To be fair the youngsters who came in gave everything but against a side as experienced and physical as the Bridge Lane outfit this was always going to be an uphill task. However the experience gained of first XV rugby over the past few weeks by this young crop of players should hold them in good stead for seasons to come.

Stockport ran in a total of 13 tries 8 before the interval as Rossendale had great difficulty holding on to any worthwhile possession. When they did they came up with a very good score as they created enough go forward to get Tom Earnshaw over for a well deserved try, James Bramhall adding the conversion.

In the situation in which they find themselves at the moment a 6th place finish is creditable indeed.

As far as the rest of the table is concerned with a few few catch up matches still to go it looks more than likely that Huddersfield will overtake Stockport at the top of the league with the Cheshire club facing a home tie in the North v Midlands play-off.

At the other end Penrith and Bradford and Bingley have been relegated with Percy Park who are away to Huddersfield next week expected to join them.

Geoff Lightfoot