Wetherby 8 Rochdale 7
Dale have had some great days this season but never one so bizarre as Saturdays trip to Grange Park Wetherby. After a dour struggle in the mud Dale ended the game with 13 players and having a match winning try disallowed, however with all the teams around them losing and Dale getting a losing bonus point they ended the day still top with 71 points!
Dale welcomed back centre Matty Johnston and wing forward Ben Sunderland to the side with Chris Hodgkinson captain in the absence of Josh Schofield. On a grey damp day in North Yorkshire Dale were faced with a muddy exposed pitch and a side they only just defeated earlier in the season.
After a series of penalties Dale found themselves defending in their 10 metre zone a cheeky grubber kick went through the defence and found the winger Briggs who scored a nice try no conversion so 5-0 after 6 mins. Next was a regrettable incident in which Dale wing forward Ross Hartley received a broken nose and was led off the field to be replaced by Emerson Lopez. More penalties this time to Dale culminating in a deliberate knock on by Wetherby forward …no yellow card but a great kick by Steve Collins took Dale to the home sides 22. The next passage of play saw even more infringements by Wetherby and Dale winning a penalty on the 22. Collins kicked this perfectly to touch on the 5 metre line. A well secured line out by Sunderland saw the Rochdale driving maul power over the line, supported by scrum half Danny Joesbury who had ball in hand to secure a well worked forwards try, converted by Collins 5-7.
Both sides attempted to break the others with good passing moves but with Declan Connor and Emerson Lopes in good form, the line held then it was Dales turn with Collins feeding the ever-willing Ethan Poole who battered his way through the Wetherby defence only to be stopped short of the line by some desperate defending. Dale had a series of penalties into the home 22 Collins decided to go for the corner rather than taking the points but Dale were held up despite good runs by Tom Hesketh and Poole came up short and finally a yellow card was produced for the Wetherby flanker. Half time saw the sides as close as ever Dale brought on Ben Coulter for Jonny Bradley. The ice was broken when Wetherby were awarded a penalty 30m out and fly half Kaye elected to kick and converted to make it 8-7. Dale were having to defend and after a break thru’ by the home sides left winger a series of penalties and scrums saw them on the Dale 10 metre line another infringement and Will Simmons was given a yellow card followed soon after by Jonny Bradley who had only been back off the bench for 10 minutes.
So down to 13 men and a prop missing Dale were defending for their lives Wetherby kept pressing but the visitors in their usual style would not give way and when Collins smashed a huge relieving kick into their half a knock on found Dale with a last minute chance to grab a victory. Another penalty with no card saw Dale with a line out on the home sides 10 metre line a good take by Chris Hodgkinson and the ball came to Collins who slipped a short pass to Ieuan Bissell who seemed to go over for a try, only for the referee to penalize Hodgkinson for holding back a defender. The final whistle blew with the Dale boys out on their feet but still attacking in the opponents 22.
So a defeat that ended in one point extra on Dale’s tally for the season, no game next week but 1st of March sees Dale at home to Doncaster Phoenix in a 2.15 kick off.
David Rhodes R.R.U.F.C.