Rochdale Hornets 70 - 6 South Wales Scorpions

Photo: Jackie Meredith

Joe Philbin scoring a try for Rochdale Hornets

Unbeaten Hornets maintained their impressive start to the League One season and made it nine games unbeaten, consolidating their three point lead at the top of the table with a comprehensive victory over South Wales Scorpions.

Alan Kilshaw made just a couple of changes to his side that defeated Oxford last weekend. Wayne English returned to full back with Chris Riley taking his usual spot on the wing and James Tilley came back into the pack with Alex Trumper moving into the second row. That meant there was no place for new recruit Jake Shoel and Jordan Case in the starting 13, who were both rested.  

Kilshaw also named three dual registration players on his bench with the inclusion of Dan Murray, Sam Wilde and Joe Philbin from Warrington Wolves.

Hornets got the first points on the board inside five minutes after a couple of errors by the visitors gave them a chance from 20 metres. Paul Crook sent a weighted grubber into the corner for Dale Bloomfield to pounce onto unchallenged. Crook couldn’t add the extras from the touchline.  

Good pressure and defence from Hornets saw South Wales struggle to get out of their own 30 for much of the first 15 minutes and a mistake by Paul Emanuelli kicking out on the full meant Hornets enjoyed another set of six, which was duly finished off by opposite winger Riley off Danny Yates’ lobbed kick to the left corner.  Crook missed with the kick.

It wasn’t long before Hornets had their third try; Jono Smith barging his way over on the last tackle. Crook missed again.

Scorpions got on the score-sheet when Sion Jones dived over to reduce the deficit. Emanuelli added the extras.

Hornets replied instantly with a second try for Smith, who slid over as he was tackled to give Hornets their fourth try of the afternoon. Yet again, Crook couldn’t convert.

Substitute Philbin made it five tries to one with a score under the posts. This time Crook finally added the extras, much to the ironic cheers of the home crowd.

Hornets were well and truly in their grove at this point and excellent handling and passing resulted in Sam Wilde going over for the Hornets’ sixth try of the afternoon. Crook converted from the touch line.

There was still time for another before the break as Danny Yates was the first of four Hornets players to dive on a kick through by Bloomfield. Crook successful with the kick.

Hornets were looking for a fast start to the second half  but it took until the 13th minute of the half for the Hornets to register their next try. Crook was the recipient from Yates’ short pass and he had a free run to score under the poss. He then had no trouble dispatching the extras.

Hornets were in again for English to mark his century and a half of appearances for the club with a try of his own, pouncing inside the in-goal area to ground the loose ball. Crook’s fifth conversion gave Hornets a 40 point lead.

The floodgates had well and truly opened and Riley got in on the act scoring his second of the match selling a dummy to Scorpions’ winger Ian Newbury to sail over in the left corner.

Bloomfield grabbed his second as the final quarter began when Sam Wilde offloaded to allow the winger to race in. Smith took over the kicking duties much to the amusement of the home crowd and, unsurprisingly, it sailed way wide of the posts from the near side touchline.

Scorpions weathered the storm for a time until Crook jinked his way through for Hornets’ 11th try of the game. Crook successfully resuming the kicking duties.

Bloomfield completed his hat-trick, and with it his 100th career try, going over in the corner under pressure from Scorpions defenders.

Yates’ had time and space to race in under the posts after collecting Galbraith’s pass from Tilley’s initial break.

That concluded a dominating display by Hornets, who reinforced their place at the top of the League One table with the first of two weekends off in three next week.

Hornets are now unbeaten in their last ten league games – a run which stretches back to last September.

The next game is away to York City Knights on Sunday 5 June 2016.

Rochdale Hornets: Wayne English, Dale Bloomfield, Michael Ratu, Lewis Galbraith, Chris Riley, Paul Crook, Danny Yates, Samir Tahouroui, Ben Moores, Warren Thompson, Jono Smith, Alex Trumper, James Tilley.
Substitutes: Dan Murray, Matty Hadden, Sam Wilde, Joe Philbin.

South Wales Scorpions: Jordan Sheridan, Ian Newbury, Scott Gregory, Christian Roets, Yannic Parker, William Gaylor, Paul Emanuelli, Robert Holroyd, Kristian Baller, Luke Nelmes, Sion Jones, Kyle Scrivens, Christopher Vitalini.
Substitutes: Zak Williams, Barrie Phillips, Martyn Rielly, Anthony Symons.

Refreee: T Hudson
Man-of-the-Match: Dale Bloomfield
Attendance: 455