Rochdale v Malton & Norton
01/04/23
RF
We travelled over the Pennines to take on Rochdale in the first round of the Papa John’s Community Cup Northern Plate. Two evenly matched teams on paper both with similar league records over the season, we arrived early brimming with confidence looking to bounce back from last weeks close defeat.
Kicking off with the wind to their backs Rochdale hoisted their main sail and attacked for a solid fifteen minutes but with stout defiance from all in a Malton shirt the score remained locked at 0-0. After a few handling errors our forwards set about dominating the scrum which continued all afternoon, the second scrum directly leading to a slick backs move allowing Jacob Stephenson to hack through and the supporting Rohan Simpson on debut to pounce and score for five points only. 0 - 5
Rochdale returned deep following an error at a ruck they kicked for the corner and instantly set up a dummy maul to force a two on one and an easy run in for their flanker. 5 – 5
Tempers flared numerus times with a lot of niggle around the breakdown but the ref wasn’t having any of it and Rochdale lost their first man to the bin in the thirtieth minute followed by a second four minutes later. Despite been down to 13 they struck next following a break down the left, left us scrambling in defence only for them to shift to the right and over in the corner. 10 – 5.
Four minutes left of the half we pinged it into the corner following a well set up maul we gained a penalty and skipper Triffitt decided to scrum it and as all half our eight took it over the line for Triffitt to dot down for five only. 10 – 10
Two minutes of the half remaining Rochdale kicked off and strong running from Ali Fothergill & Ben Tenge got us within touching distance but again our lack of patience cost us, coughing up the ball a meter short only for their player to move the ball through the hands and score out wide to lead 15-10 at half time.
The first fifteen of the second half was ours with Bulmer finding a massive fifty twenty two only for the covering Rochdale player to kink the ball away stopping our players taking a quick lineout from the resulting penalty hard running from Ed and Will in the centres creating room for Fothergill to scoot over in the corner for his twelfth try of the season our quick ball key to release the pacey backs. 15 – 15
Around the fiftieth minute mark more field position followed and Rochdale struggled to contain Ben Tenge playing in his favoured backrow role with a quickly taken tap penalty, a penalty try was given for failure to return to the try line Rochdale also losing the offending player to the bin 15 – 22.
Things then turned dramatically a foul play knock on yellow to Fothergill and a technically yellow to Vaughan for killing the ball in the space of four minutes following Vaughanies transgression Rochdale kicked to the corner a good maul defence stopped it at point but the ball was moved into the midfield and their centre crashing over. 22 – 22
Entering the final quarter with scores level it was always going to be a grandstand finish, Rochdale back to fifteen while we were still at thirteen an opening was created out wide for them to retake the lead 29 – 22.
Following a deep kick off Rochdale went off their feet right in front of the posts, James Bulmer having an off day slotted his only goal of the afternoon. 29 - 25
Restored back to a full team on the pitch we couldn’t stop Rochdale extending their advantage even further, following a speculative kick through the bounce of the ball evaded our covering winger only for him to scramble and desperately jump on the ball with no supporting player the ref decided correctly he was holding on. A quick tap gave them another five points. 34 – 25
Ten minutes left nine points down both teams weren’t holding back most of the next 10 minutes were played out in the midfield with Rochdale slowing the game down every opportunity, it wasn’t until a minute to go Ali Fothergill found and executed a quality overlap to Ed Browne much to the surprise of the travelling support and Harry Skaife who has “never seen Fothergill pass”, a minute to go Bully attempted a drop conversion but it plugged and he dragged it wide. 34 – 30
With a minute remaining Malt had a chance but it wasn’t to be as Rochdale powered over a breakdown causing a Malton error resulting in the final whistle.
All other Regional 2 North East Teams were knocked out of the Northern Plate.
We now await the draw for the Yorkshire Cup which is expected of the 17th April, first game on the 22nd. Please keep your eyes peeled on any fixtures arranged before then, I understand we are looking to get a local “friendly” home or away unsure.
UPCOMING
This Tuesday The Colts are at home kicking off at 6pm the bar will be open.
Pock 7s on Friday.
Sunday 23rd The Colts are in the Yorkshire Cup Final at Doncaster vs Pontefract probably a 1pm KO.
Friday 28th Our Vets are playing Scarborough more details will come.
Team vs Rochdale
Fothergill, Miller, Bell, Lockwood, Stephenson, Bulmer, Simpson, Vaughan, Salisbury, Featherstone, Skaife, Emms, B Tenge, Barker, Triffitt ©
Subs all used, A. Armitage, G, Turnbull, E Browne
Simpson 1 try
Triffitt1 try
Fothergill 1 try
Penalty try
Browne 1 try
Bulmer 1 pen
The 3s finished off their season in style beating Grimsby 54-17 at home.
