Rochdale Hornets - Grand Final Winners!

Photo: Journeaux

Hornets lift the cup

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Oldham Roughyeds 18 - 32 Rochdale Hornets

Rochdale Hornets collected their first silverware since 1922 by beating local rivals Oldham Roughyeds in the Kingstone Press Championship One play-off final and gaining promotion.

With just minutes to play, a superb run by Langley down the wing and a perfect lay off to English, who crossed the line in emphatic style, ensured Hornets enjoyed a well deserved victory.

Hornets started the game well and took the lead early on in the first half as Dave Llewellyn touched down. Crook converted.

Oldham hit back with a John Ford try, converted by Lewis Palfrey to tie the score at 6-6.

Hornets were having the best of the game midway through the first half and got their just reward when Danny Davies burst through the Oldham defence and powered over the line. Crook again converted.

Oldham stepped up the pressure as the pendulum swung in their favour but Hornets defence was holding firm and Hornets could have taken the lead again when Crook struck the ball with his trusty boot, but his attempted drop goal sailed wide of the posts.

It was end-to-end with minutes to half time when Hornets failed to deal with a high kick that Kenny Hughes gathered and touched down. Palfrey converted to level the score at 12-12.

Oldham kicked off the second half and immediately put Hornets under pressure. Hornets failed to deal with another high kick and Dave Cookson took advantage to give Oldham the lead for the first time in the game. Palfrey added the extras.

The Oldham pressure continued and at this stage of the game even the most partisan Hornets supporter would have to admit Oldham looked the more likely to go on to win the game, but Hornets dug deep and fought hard and, against the run of play, Dave Hull crossed the line. Crook converted to level the scores again at 18-18.

With Hornets back on the front foot, Oldham gave away a penalty right in front of the posts and Crook made no mistake to take Hornets back in front, albeit with a slender two point lead.

Hornets were now playing their best rugby of the game, standing firm and tackling hard when Oldham had the ball and making good yards when they had the ball. Their hard work got the reward it deserved when Llewellyn dived over with just ten minutes left to play. Crook converted.

With the silverware and promotion slipping from their grasp, Oldham went for broke and threw everything they had at Hornets, but the Rochdale boys soaked up wave after wave of Oldham pressure until with just four minutes left to play they put the game beyond any doubt when Langley went on an amazing run down the wing and played it to English to cross the line. Crook again added the extras.

The hooter went and cue scenes of jubilant celebration among the Hornets players and management on the pitch and supporters off the pitch.

Speaking to Rochdale Online as the players celebrated on the pitch, Gaz Langley said: "I played in two finals for Oldham and lost so to win today is extra special. 90 years is a long time. We played well and deserved the win."

Hornets coach Ian Talbot said: "What an end for these guys. This has been a long time coming for this club."

Mayor of Rochdale, Peter Rush, a former Hornets player, said: "Overwhelmed, I’ve been at the club a long time.

"Thought they had had it at half time, but the lads have done us proud and all done at the right cost.

"Going to celebrate at the Flying Horse."

Hornets stand-off Paul Crook was the game’s outstanding player, winning the man-of-the-match trophy plus £200 for landing six goals, constantly turning Roughyeds round, and making Mo Agoro’s life a misery by challenging the Oldham winger to defuse high bombs.

Oldham captain Lewis Palfrey, struggling to hide his devastation, said: "I can’t say what exactly went wrong for us to end up losing. At stages in the game we had the momentum, we just needed to keep that going.

“Credit to Rochdale, they took advantage when we lost momentum, and now they will play at the higher level.”

Hornets are promoted to the Championship with champions North Wales Crusaders while Oldham must battle on in the third tier of professional rugby league after suffering a fifth final defeat in the last seven years.

Hornets 
Wayne English (C), Gareth Langley, Danny Davies, Dave Hull, Martin Waring, Paul Crook, Steve Roper, Carl Forster, Chris Hough, Warren Thompson, Dave Llewellyn, Alex Trumper, Joe Greenwood
Interchanges: John Cookson, Chris Baines, Alex McClurg, Jordan Case
Coach: Ian Talbot

Oldham 
Richard Lepori, Mo Agoro, David Cookson, Jon Ford, Dale Bloomfield, Lewis Palfrey (C), Kenny Hughes, Phil Joy, Sammy Gee, Jason Boults, Josh Crowley, Danny Langtree, Mark Hobson
Interchanges: Adam Files, Michael Ward, Liam Thompson, Matthew Haggarty
Coach: Scott Naylor

Officials
Referee: Chris Leatherbarrow
Touch-Judge: Andy Fazackerley
Touch-Judge: Stewart Kilpatrick
Reserve Referee: Peter Brooke
Reserve Touch-Judge: Craig Swanson
Match Commissioner: Bob Connolly
Video Referee: James Child