Rugby League: Rochdale Hornets 20 - 8 Barrow Raiders

Rochdale Hornets secured their first points of the 2019 Betfred Championship season with an impressive 20-8 victory over the Barrow Raiders.

Three tries from Adam Lawton, Ben Moores and Liam Carberry sealed a vital two points with Dan Abram also on target with three conversions and a penalty goal.

As the rain lashed down at the Crown Oil Arena, it was the visitors who opened the scoring when a cross field kick fell kindly to Stargroth Amean on the wing who touched down at the flag.

A proverbial arm-wrestle ensued over the next eight minutes with Hornets finding their feet with Salford loanee Adam Lawton adding to his already impressive try scoring tally with the last try of the half. Thanks to the boot of Dan Abram, Hornets headed into the sheds with a 6-4 lead.

The second half could not have started worse for the hosts with a catalogue of errors, gifting Barrow position and territory. Jamie Dallimore had the chance to level the sored but pulled his penalty goal wide from bang in front of the sticks.

Riding their luck, it would be the home side who would strike first with the returning Ben Moores ghosting over from dummy half.

Both sides grabbed onto the game with a fierce grasp with neither side’s defensive wall giving way, however it was Dan Abram who added to the Hornets tally with a well kicked penalty to make it 14-4.

Despite conditions getting worse the Hornets continued to pile pressure onto the Raiders defence with Liam Carberry coming off the bench producing a piece of magic when he fended off to defenders to score underneath the sticks.

Abram once again kicked the goal to make it 20-4 and all but seal the Hornets first victory of the season.

Barrow continued to fight though and grabbed a consolation try thanks to Stargroth Amean who scored his second of the afternoon and make it 20-8 as the hooter sounded to give Carl Forster his first two points as Hornets head coach.

 

Rochdale Hornets

Dan Abram, Shaun Ainscough, Jordan Case, Paddy Flynn, Brandon Wood, Stuart Howarth, Tyler Whittaker, Sitaleki Akauola, Scott Moore, Matt Davis, Lee Mitchell, Ellis Gillam, Harvey Livett, Adam Lawton, Patrick Moran, Ben Moores, Liam Carberry, 

Tries: Adam Lawton, Ben Moores, Liam Carberry
Goals: Dan Abram 4

Barrow Raiders

Luke Cresswell, Deon Lewis Cross, Jarrad Stack, Jake Spedding, Stargroth Amean, Jamie Dallimore, Lewis Charnock, Thomas Walker, Wartovo Puara Jr, Joshua Johnson, Jordan Walne, Jono Smith, Martin Aspinwall, Nathan Mossop, Brad Crellin, Willie Minoga, Glenn Riley, 

Tries: Stargroth Amean 2