Dewsbury Rams 40 - 10 Rochdale Hornets

Rochdale Hornets

It was an afternoon to forget for Rochdale Hornets as they were heavily beaten away to Dewsbury Rams on Sunday afternoon.

The defeat saw Dewsbury leap-frog Hornets in the league table as Hornets drop to ninth.

Miles Greenwood, Lewis Palfrey and Chris Riley all returned to action for Hornets but couldn’t recreate their 46-0 triumph in the reverse fixture back in the opneing game of the season.

It was a stop start affair with lots of handling errors and penalties from both sides, with Dewsbury more clinical when their chances arrived.

The loss of Gary Middlehurst to a concussion was a blow early in the first half for Hornets.

Dewsbury opened the scoring when Rob Spicer found a gap and forced his way over for a converted try on the left edge.

Toby Adamson increased the Dewsbury lead when he spun his way over from close range. Paul Sykes converted.

Dale Morton was next in for Dewsbury as he evaded Chris Riley to touch down out wide. Sykes again converted.

Spicer was in for his second of the afternoon on the half hour mark when he collected a flat pass from Gareth Moore to cross the whitewash.

From the kick-off Lewis Foster went short but the ball failed to travel 10 metres. Sykes opted to go for goal from the halfway line. His attempt was wide but still ran dead, and from the resulting set Moore put Macauley Hallett in for a try.

Half time: Dewsbury Rams 28 - 0 Rochdale Hornets

Massam finally opened the Hornets account early in the second half as Greenwood found him in space on the left edge. Danny Yates couldn’t convert.

Hopes of a Hornets fightback were dented when the impressive Moore pounced on a kick from Sykes under the crossbar to score. Sykes converted.

Hornets kept Dewsbury out until four minutes from time when, a man down after Lewis Galbraith was yellow carded, Moore sent Hallett through a huge gap for his second try of the game.

Hornets scored a consolation try in the final minute; Jordan Case charging over. Yates with the extras.

Dewsbury Rams: Josh Guzdek, Dale Morton, Macauley Hallett, Lucas Walshaw, Alex Brown, Paul Sykes, Gareth Moore, Jode Sheriffe, Sam Day, Jack Teanby, Jordan Crowther, Rob Spicer, Aaron Brow Subs: Dom Speakman, Aaron Ollett, Toby Everett, Toby Adamson.
Tries: Spicer (2), Adamson, Morton, Hallett (2), Moore.
Goals: Sykes (6).

Rochdale Hornets: Miles Greenwood, Chris Riley, Jordan Case, Lewis Galbraith, Rob Massam, Lewis Palfrey, Danny Yates, Anthony Walker, Ben Moores, Gavin Bennion, Lee Mitchell, Josh Crowley, Gary Middlehurst Subs: Lewis Foster, Jo Taira, Matty Hadden, Lewis Hatton.
Tries: Massam, Case.
Goals: Yates.

Referee: Tom Grant

Attendance: 775