Hornets power past amateurs

Rochdale & District ARL Town Team v Rochdale Hornets

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Rochdale & District ARL Town Team 0 - 66 Rochdale Hornets

Rochdale Hornets got their warm up for the Championship 1 title under way as they powered past the 'best of the amateurs', Rochdale And District ARL Town Team.

Paul Crooke collected a personal tally of 30 points with two tries and kicking 11 from 11 to help rack up a punishing score line, which didn’t truly reflect the effort and determination of the amateurs.

The game started at a frantic pace as the Town Team looked to ruffle some feathers, none more so than Fijian Jo Qaunicui, who welcomed Garreth Frodhsam to the game with a big hit in the opening moments.

Impressive hooker, McClurg opened the scoring, darting in close to the sticks.

The Hornets pack then took a hold on the game, creating good field position and a platform from which Crooke and Roper could work.

A break by English and a neat behind the back pass from Livesey put Hornets within striking distance, allowing Frodsham to power over.

A mistake from Rochdale and District player of the year Eric Johnson allowed Crooke an easy score under the posts.

Roper threw a wide mis-pass which gave Sutton a walk in to cap an impressive first 20 for Hornets.

The Town Team then got a hold of the Hornets pack as Mayfield's Gleeson, Littlebroughs ARLFC's Sweeney and Cobra's West entered the fray.

It took a piece of brilliance from Crooke, with a cheeky show and go to break down Town again, before thirrd generation Fijian Mike Ratu sped through a gap out wide just before half-time to give Hornets a 36-0 lead.

Town Team and Ireland coach Ged Corcoran chose to keep his troops out in the snow at half time, laying down the law.

The tactic paid off as the flood gates closed and the amateurs went back to hitting hard and testing the Hornets pack.

Again the Hornets front row proved the difference, as the impressive, though slender looking, Cookson wrestled the Hornets into a position from which Roper was able to weave his way through the line.

Gaz Langley finished off a neat ground move, the ball went through several pairs of hands to create a good overlap out wide; Frodsham completing his brace with another short crash over the line.

Rochdale lad Lewis Sheridan, playing for the Hornets through the partnership deal with St Helens, showed quick footwork to dance through tackles and find the supporting Davies to crash in from 20 metres.

The scoring was complete when hooker McClurg showed pace and neat footwork to break the line and cruise in from 40 metres.

The Town Team still didn't lie down, and forced a repeat set from which they were unlucky not to ground the ball from the kick on fifth and last.

With the driving snow coming in, the full time whistle went with the Town Team knowing they had put up a fight against an impressive Rochdale Hornets team.

Hornets coach Ian Talbot commented: "We have put together new systems and new combinations and today was our first real chance to test them. I thought we played really well and there is plenty to build on ahead of the game with St Helens a week on Friday."

Town Team coach Corcoran said: "I thought we did well today. We have had a few sessions together as a squad but not as many as I would have liked, and quite a few of the boys have had to double up from yesterday's Pennine League fixtures so we are battered and bruised, but I thought we put up a fight and gave good account of ourselves."

Town Team

Ieuen Higgs, Rob Kershaw, Kunai Nuamalata, Nick Hargreaves, John Foy, Eric Johnson, Chris Hough, Tom Morris, Joel Hinchcliffe, Aidy Gleeson, Napoleon Good-Vinaka, Luke Sampson, Joe Quanicui, Daniel Sweeney, Garreth Sharrocks, Steven Holton, Peter Marland, David Mills, Jack Ashworth, Callum Buckley, Fereti Bau, Semisi Cocker, David Tierney, Alex West

Rochdale Hornets

Wayne English, Gaz Langley, Tony Stewart, Owen Livesey, Dave Sutton, Paul Crooke, Steve Roper, Garreth Frodsham, Alex Mclurg, John Cookson, Dayne Donoghue, Alex Trumper, Jordan Casey, John Walker, Jordan Sandford, Martin Waring, Danny Davies, Jack Knowles, Mike Ratu, Lewis Sheridan, Will Chadwick, Fraser Jones-Lake, Ryan Brown, Andy Ainscough, Joe Bate

MOM: McClurg
Attendance 255
Venue: Rochdale Mayfield