Its never and easy task travelling down to Caldy despite the optimism that surrounds the Second team this Season. Recent close games against Sedgley and a hard fought affair on our home soil against the weekends opposition were testament to how well the team is playing. Sadly injuries and unavailability to no fewer than 9 regular starters prior to the game would always make things that bit harder and coupled with the fact that Caldy were certainly fired up to plot Rossendales downfall and retain there unbeaten crown was always an element to the situation on Saturday.
Caldy started the day on fire and took an early lead with two tries and a kick. Dale despite the odds stacked against them remained competitive through the first 25 minutes. The defence was good in the circumstances and the pack were well matched up to their opposition.
With the Ropssendale defence pushing up well Caldy started to find their way out wide , Rossendale were missing three of their usual wingers and the pace from the home side was to much to handle out on the flanks with players looping around and generally backing each other up extremely well to create the overlaps.
As a contest it was all over by half time with a 41-0 score line and the second half faired no better with Caldy really running rampant putting a total of 83 points on the board.
There was consolation for Rossendale when Curtis Strong broke free from his tacklers in his own half and sprinted home to put the ball down under the sticks ensuring AJ Potgieter had an easier conversion but that was the only points Dale could muster on the day.
There is certainly no shame in the defeat , plenty of positives to be had including a star of the match performance by young Jay Wilson and another baptism of fire for the new young prop Bobbi Smith who went well.
Rossendale aren't the first and won't be the last to suffer from a big defeat by this opposition who remain an unbeaten side over many years. The lads will pick themselves up and work on the good things in training to take into their next game against Sandbach on the 2cnd December.