Rochdale Cobras 44 - 6 Ryland’s Sharks A

Rochdale Cobras beat top of the league Ryland’s Sharks at Firgrove on Saturday (23 March) in dreadful weather conditions to take the local side to second in the league after two wins and a draw from their first three games.

Cobras opened the scoring after a huge exit set turning the ball over on Cobras' 10 metre line; after some stern defence the ball was dislodged from a Ryland's player's hands, stand-off Liam Hughes was first to react and raced in untouched. Alex West added the extras.

A neat kick found West out wide who then beat the Rylands full back to go in out wide. West this time unsuccessful with his conversion.

Hughes, who has come back to Cobras after three years away, has changed Cobras style of play and it certainly suits, and it was Hughes who was next over, for his second try, when a set play saw him cut through the back line to go in near the sticks. West converting.

Fullback Tom Hadley showed he was made of stern stuff when the 16-year-old took a crash ball over the line, a play normally reserved for the prop forwards. West again adding the two.

The game was very one way with Cobras forwards Tom Morris, Luke Nutley, Fereti Bau, Jamie Lawlor and Lee Moore making huge drives down the middle of the pitch and backs Dan Catlow, West and Pete Marland looking like scoring every time the ball was moved out wide.

A neat ball from Hadley and some fine individual skill from West rounded off the first half. West again adding the extras.

Rochdale Cobras 28 - 0 Ryland’s Sharks A

The second half started much the same way the first finished.

Second row forward Bau stepped his opposite number and raced in from 40 yards. West adding the two.

The bitter cold at Firgrove affected Rylands more than Cobras and this showed as Gareth Wood danced his way over after some good work from Marland and Diggle. West converting.

Rylands did get a consolation try and conversion when good work down the middle of the field set them up as their centre steamed over from close range.

Cobras captain, Catlow, was over the white wash after good work at the scrum by Cameron Cowin, who ripped the ball from the Sharks' loose forward, the young forward then shipped the ball out wide to Catlow in the centre, he had too much for the Rylands' back line and crashed over out wide. West missed what turned out to be the last Kick of the game, but still notched up a personal haul of 20 points for the day.

Cobras new coaches Ben Bird and Dave Ramsbottom where pleased with the outcome, Bird said: “Its been about going back to basics with the lads this season which has brought some success up to now but we shouldn’t get to over excited its a long season of 30 plus games and we are only a few in.”

“We have been helped massively by the lads commitment and of course the new lads and returning lads; Freddy in the pack has been a revelation for us, so too have Gaz Wood and Liam Hughes, who have been linking up well with Tom at the back and our centres.

"We believe in ourselves at this time, which in rugby league at this level is almost all you need.”

Man-of-the-Match: Fereti Bau

Cobras Team:

1. Tom Hadley
2. Ben Kirkham
3. Dan Catlow
4. Alex West
5. Pete Marland
6. Liam Hughes

7. Gareth Hutchins
8. Ben Boothman
9. Scott Manock
10. Tom Morris
11. Fereti Bau
12. Luke Nutley
13. Gareth Wood
14. Lee Moore
15. Cameron Cowin
16. David Diggle
17. Jamie Lawlor