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Report – Rochdale Hornets 26 Dewsbury Rams 22

Dewsbury Rams were defeated 26-22 by the Rochdale Hornets on Sunday afternoon at The Crown Oil Arena. An end of the game fight back wasn’t enough for the Rams to come away with any points.

The game started well enough for Dewsbury as they scored two quick tries, the first coming on the third minute of the match when Micheal Knowles burst through the Hornets defence to score. Paul Sykes was as ever on kicking duty for the Rams, however he missed his first conversion kick. That put the score at Rochdale Hornets 0-4 Dewsbury Rams.

Dewsbury followed that first try up very quickly and scored another one just three minutes later, Brad Delaney was the player who dived over the line to add to the Rams tally. Sykes sprinted through the Hornets defence and passed to Delaney who went on to finish the move off. Sykes then successfully kicked the conversion to add the extra two points to the Rams score.

The Rams were now 10-0 ahead, but it would be Rochdale who would take control of the game from there on in. Rochdale grabbed their first try on the 9th minute of the game when Setareki Talatoka flew over the line in the left hand corner. Tyler Whittaker was kicking the conversions for the Hornets on the day, but he like Sykes missed his first attempt.

Rochdale scored their second try of the afternoon nine minutes later when Deon Cross, crossed the whitewash to score. Whittaker again missed his conversion putting the score at Rochdale 8-10 Dewsbury.

The Hornets extended their lead on the 30th minute mark when Cross again scored, it was his second try of the afternoon. Whittaker again missed his kick, but the try alone meant that the home side now had the lead.

The Hornets extended their tally just three minutes later when Dec Gregory dived beside the posts to score the try. Whittaker this time managed to make the kick and add the extra points, to make the score Rochdale 18-10 Dewsbury.

It was the home side who put two extra points on to their score just before half time, Rochdale won a penalty and Whittaker managed to convert it.

The two sides went into the halftime with the Rams 20-10 down, and it was the Lancashire club who started the second half the better. Rochdale scored the first try of the second half on the 45th minute. Lewis Hatton scored by the posts to make sure Whittaker had an easy kick to make. Whittaker converted the kick and made the score 26-10 to Rochdale.

The fixture become scrappy throughout the second half, and it wasn’t until the 70th minute mark when the next real piece of action happened. The Rams started the fight back with a try from Rob Worrincy. Just like on his last trip to the Hornets, he scored a try by running the full length of the pitch. Sykes added the extra’s by converting the kick to put the score at 26-16 to Rochdale.

Dewsbury followed that try up by getting another just four minutes later, Brad Delaney sneaked through a gap in the Rochdale defence to score a vital try. Sykes again converted the kick, which put the Rams just four points within the Hornets tally.

The game entered into a frantic five minutes with Dewsbury still having hope of a come back, but it wasn’t meant to be as the final hooter went and the two points went to Rochdale.

Dewsbury will play in their final game of the season at home to Leigh next Sunday at The Tetley’s Stadium, 3pm kick off.