Rugby Union: Firwood Waterloo 54 - 24 Rochdale RUFC

Tom Helliwell, Rochdale RUFC (left)

On a fine afternoon in Crosby, Rochdale RUFC were beaten by Firwood Waterloo in an open and entertaining game of top-class rugby.

Waterloo quickly opened the scoring, their fast passing backs taking Rochdale by surprise.

Minutes later Rochdale went further behind after losing the ball and a sweeping move took Waterloo the full length of the pitch for the winger to score in the corner.

Josh Schofield saved an almost certain try as he took down the Waterloo flanker as he broke through with the line beckoning.

Minutes later Rochdale were awarded a penalty in front of the posts and Ollie Coldman slotted the ball over to get Rochdale on the score sheet.

The relentless Waterloo attack battered another hole in Rochdale’s defence and the centre crashed over for a third try.

Rochdale kept knocking on the door and with the pack pressing the line they were awarded a penalty try.

After a break in play for a head injury to the Waterloo scrum half, Rochdale had a chance when Jimmy Flitcroft made a break down the wing only to be caught by the last defender yards short of the corner.

The game was end to end as half time approached but it was Waterloo who capitalised with their fourth try when the full back appeared through a huge gap in the Dale defence to score.

Half time: Firwood Waterloo 28 - 10 Rochdale RUFC

The second half started in the worse possible way for Rochdale as the Waterloo pack crashed to the line but despite being held up twice by the Rochdale defence scored under the posts.

This match was not as one sided as the score line was suggesting with pack leader Ward and Desousa both making spirited attacks and backs Travis Townsend and Josh Schofield always probing at the Waterloo defence.

High kicks from Coldman and Duffy got Rochdale moving but the Waterloo pack again broke down the visitor’s defence for another unconverted try.

Rochdale came back with a hack through from a loose ball on half way and chased down the ball only to be tackled into touch on the 22.

Waterloo started to give away penalties, the referee punishing them for slowing down play and offside. One penalty in front of the posts was popped into touch and the Rochdale line out collected the ball cleanly and in a tight passing move Schofield went over.

The usually clinical Waterloo backs dropped a pass on the line and Rochdale responded with a Schofield break down the middle. With support from the pack, the ball ended up wide on the right and an inside pass to Flitcroft saw him power over for Rochdale’s third try.

Rochdale tried an ambitious cross field move in their own 22 but a high pass was intercepted by the Waterloo centre who scored under the posts.

The last attack of the game came after De Sousa was penalised on the Rochdale 22 and from the resulting line out Waterloo secured good ball and passed across the line to leave an easy conversion.

A game performance by Rochdale but too many mistakes against a strong Waterloo side who look determined to get a play-off place.

Next Saturday Rochdale welcome league leaders Vale of Lune for a 2.15pm kick off at Moorgate Avenue.