ROSSENDALE travelled to play higher league opponents and came away with a creditable performance, but somewhat disappointed as they could have achieved a win had they started as they finished.
On a very cold and wet day, Rossendale allowed the home team to score a very early try as a result of poor tackling which permitted the home team's stand off to run at will and dictate the early exchanges.
After learning this painful lesson, Rossendale started to play much tighter and should have equalised when Jason Cunliffe crossed the line, only to be brought back for an earlier penalty offence. Had advantage been played, Dale would gone in all square-at half time.
The second period saw good running rugby from both sides, with Rossendale's back row, especially Dick Horrocks who had a fine game. Their ball retention was of a high standard and their back division showed a willingness to run at the opposition, although they lacked the killer finishing touches with a couple of good chances. It was pocket dynamo Howie, at scrum half, who burrowed his way over for Dale's try after the home team had scored an earlier penalty to make the score 8-5 to Leigh. Rossendale never gave up hope and applied most of the late pressure, but it was Leigh who managed a late unconverted try to clinch the game.
When you consider that Rossendale gave well-earned rests to four first-choice players, they did extremely well in this encounter, none more so than Whittaker in the second row whose work-rate was exemplary, as was Earnshaw's at hooker.
This weekend Rossendale get back on the league bandwagon with an away game at Sandbach. Next week sees the visit of Wallasey before Dale travel again on January 2, this time to play Ormskirk in the Lancashire Trophy.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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