Blacksticks Bruising

Rossendale U13s travelled to Lancaster this Sunday morning to challenge the Vale of Lune U13s in their first meeting together in the Blacksticks league, which is certainly a step up in terms of ability and skill levels and the Rossendale lads would need to be very resilient to avoid having their confidence shattered.

Captain Joe Bedlow got the game underway with a well placed kick and his crew followed up speedily headed by Ieuan Dwyfor-Jones and Nathan Waddington.

The Lune forwards were quick to collect however and fed the ball sharply out to their backs, thus avoiding the charge from the visitors and giving them the opportunity to bring the ball up to their opponents 22, before being forced to knock on. At the scrum, Vale of Lune gained an early upper hand winning possession against the head, then moving the ball along the line to score in the right corner.

From the kick off the home side set up another attack and crossed over for a second try, this time on the Rossendale left. Rossendale battled hard, Joe Starkie and Elliott Newell typically showing good aggression in the contact areas, on one occasion their efforts allowing Josh Beeken to rip the ball from a rampaging Lune player and set up a very promising attack but staunch defence snuffed out the opportunity.

Dan Dunham and Haig Howarth made some characteristically tough tackles to slow down their opponents and Tyler Johnson supported by Nuri Stoner were never far from the action. Despite this Vale of Lune ran in four more tries making them 34 points up at half time having missed the conversions on four of their attempts.

The home side kicked off the second half and the ball bounced loose. It was finally picked up by Ieuan Dwyfor-Jones just inside his 22, with a burst of speed he broke free and sped down the left wing only to stumble when it looked as if he might have been in the clear to score.

Although Vale of Lune ran in four more tries in the second half the Rossendale boys showed much enterprise, Bradley Watts at scrum half always posed a threat, whilst Nathan Waddington threw himself ferociously into the tackles. It was also encouraging to see new boy Will Whitham playing in his first match for Rossendale, making the most of any possession that came his way with some forceful runs.

There will be some similarly bruising encounters to come for the Rossendale boys in the Blacksticks league this season but the experience will stand them in good stead and coupled with their resilience, overall it will make them a better side.

Rossendale man of the match was Nuri Stoner.
Back of the match was Bradley Watts.
Forward of the match was Joe Starkie.