Rochdale RUFC 16 - 8 St Benedict's RUFC

Whitehaven team St Benedicts arrived at a sunny Moorgate Avenue having won their first two games of the season scoring 61 points and conceding only seven but left with their unbeaten start ended by Rochdale.

The first few minutes saw Rochdale defending well against battering ram attacks by the St B’s pack, when they gave away a penalty on their own 22 metre line. The visitors elected to kick - a simple task in front of the posts on a windless day.

The Number 10 missed badly and this let off led to a series of good attacks by Rochdale with the game ebbing and flowing between the respective 22s- Rochdale always trying push the ball wide for Flitcroft, West and Willets to use their pace to threaten St B’s defence.

Good breaks by Dom Serridge and Adi Sutherland reached the visitors’ 22 but poor passing led to a breakdown.

A long clearance kick was collected by Flitcroft who made ground and then chipped through just failing to collect his kick back in the St B’s half.

In the move that followed the visitors were penalised for holding on and up stepped full back Oli Coldman to strike the ball from 40 metres and give Rochdale the lead.

The visitors re-doubled their efforts and despite good tackling from the Rochdale defence St B’s reached the 10 metre line where they won a scrum in which Rochdale were penalised. The number 10 missed again from a similar range as his first effort.

Half time: Rochdale RRUFC 3 - 0 St Benedicts RRUFC

The second half started with a good take by Rochdale and a jinking run by scrum half Travis Townsend in his first game of the season. He got the ball out to centre Richard West who beat two men then chipped to the wing for Flitcroft to chase but the ball just ran into touch with the visitors defence beaten.

St B’s were awarded a penalty just inside the Rochdale half and to everyone’s surprise elected to kick but this time the kicker made no mistake to level the score.

Rochdale responded by putting on pressure with good breaks from West, Serridge and Townsend. The last move ended in another penalty right in front of the visitors’ posts. Coldman slotted over to give Rochdale the lead again.

Both sides battered away at each other in an entertaining game marred only by niggling penalties and then a break in play as the St B’s full back was led off with a knee injury. 

When play resumed Rochdale continued to press and won a scrum on the 22 causing the visitors to concede yet another penalty. Coldman with his kicking boots firmly on stroked over to Rochdale's extend lead.

The game was still anyone’s and St B’s came back again stretching the Rochdale defence and broke through with a good overlapping move on the right wing leading to a try in the corner. Up stepped the hapless number 10 and missed what seemed a straightforward conversion.

Rochdale lead by 9 -8 with just 10 minutes play.

There was now a new sense of urgency in Rochdale's play and they pressed hard. When the ball reached Willets on the left wing he chipped through but was taken late by the St B’s wing forward leaving the referee no option but to brandish the first yellow card of the day.

Taking advantage of being a man up Rochdale kicked to the corner and a good throw in by substitute hooker Jonny Bradley was taken in the line out and Rochdale’s pack pushed for the line. St B’s defence tried to slow the play down and were warned by the referee but a repeated infringement led to him awarding Rochdaleale a penalty try. Coldman added the extras from in front of the posts .

There was just time for one last attack from Rochdale as winger Flitcroft again backed himself with a chip through over his opposite number, a dribble on which just went over the dead ball line as the referee blew for full time.

Next week Rochdale travel to Kirkby Lonsdale for another tough fixture.

Other results

Waterloo 43 - 12 RRUFC Second XV

RRUFC Third XV 31 - 19 Chorley

Aldwinians 38 - 12 RRUFC Fourth XV