Hornets: Kilshaw says let’s repay the fans

Alan Kilshaw, head coach of Rochdale Hornets

It has been a testing period for Rochdale Hornets over the last month as they have fell to four straight defeats in all competitions.

Their last victory was away to Featherstone Rovers in terrible conditions, as they picked up a historic 10-9 triumph at The Big Fellas Stadium.

Head coach Alan Kilshaw has admitted that his side are yet to perform at home since their 46-0 thrashing of Dewsbury Rams on the opening day of the season, after a poor performance at home to Toulouse Olympique the last time they played at the Crown Oil Arena.

One thing that stood out following the final hooter though was the support they still received, with all of the home fans on their feet applauding their team into the sheds.

Kilshaw believes it is time they repaid that faith with a performance on Good Friday when they welcome Sheffield Eagles.

“We want to repay that support we had against Toulouse in our last home game, we were pretty much disgraceful in that game and we feel that we owe the fans one, especially the guys who travelled to Batley on the weekend,” he admitted.

“That will be a focus for our performance and I’ll back the lads to respond well. I thought they responded well to the Toulouse defeat and I think we will respond well to the Batley defeat.”

In their last outing they travelled to Batley Bulldogs where their hearts were broken in the final minutes of the game, as they let a 24 point lead slip before a dubious try at the death snatched a 38-36 win for the hosts.

It was a huge improvement on the display against Toulouse though, especially as Rochdale had drafted in four Warrington Wolves players on dual-registration due to an injury crisis.

They face a Sheffield Eagles side who sit just a point behind them in the table, and who have won the last four meetings of the two clubs since 2007.

The Eagles go into the game off the back of a 48-16 defeat to Bradford Bulls, as they couldn’t replicate their heroics over London Broncos a week earlier.

That victory over the side from the capital came following their only win away from home where they edged Swinton Lions 28-24.

Kilshaw has been forced to call on four dual-registration players again, with Jack Johnson keeping his place at fullback while Matty Blythe and Lee Mitchell make their second appearance for the club.

A new name on the team sheet is Taylor Prell, as the code-switching winger comes in just weeks after joining the Wolves.

Lewis Palfrey and Josh Crowley are set to return, with Chris Riley and Miles Greenwood hoping to be fit for their Easter Monday clash with local rivals Swinton.