Oldham U15s 5 - 38 Rochdale RUFC U15s

Lancashire Cup Blacksticks Quarter Finals - Oldham U15s V Rochdale RUFC U15s

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Rochdale RUFC U15s travelled to local rivals Oldham on Sunday 1 March to play at Manor Park for the very first time and came away with a comfortable victory and progressed to the semi-finals of the Lancashire Cup.

Rochdale travelled with 14 men due to a squad ravaged by injuries all season. Injured fly half Andy Dean and winger Dylan Keay made the journey to shout on their team mates.

Rochdale showed their tough resilience and within minutes of the kick off, Nico Rizzelli burst through the Oldham defence and fended off all defenders to score under the posts. Jonni Allen converted.

Rochdale were playing into the wind and, despite having the lion’s share of possession, were struggling to break down the Oldham defence.

Following five consecutive penalties, Oldham edged closer to the Rochdale line. Eventually from the sixth penalty Rochdale conceded out wide as Oldham took advantage of the extra man. The conversion attempt was missed.

Rochdale captain Will Moore rallied his troops and from the scrum, Nico Rizzelli picked the ball up and went on a forging run to score under the posts. Allen converted.

Make shift fly half, Harvey Mann was having a good game and from a slick move with his backs, centre Danny Mammood scored out wide. The conversion attempt was missed.

Half time: Oldham U15s 5 - 19 Rochdale RUFC U15s

Rochdale flankers Casey Brown and Bradley Fox were strong and belied the Oldham extra player.

Oldham’s pack was huge, but the Rochdale front row of Will and John Armour and hooker Jordan Clarke were winning all the scrums and indeed many of the Oldham scrums.

Great tackling from Brown, Fox, Mann and Mammood, kept up the attacks and eventually Rizelli burst through to score under the posts. Allen converted.

Rochdale wingers Ryan Green and Curtis Ward were lively and Green almost managed to score, following his 40 metre dash, only to be stopped just short of the line. However from the resulting line out, second row Brandon Marshall won the ball and, with his second row team mate Rhys Stone, drove to the line. From the melee, Rochdale were awarded the try despite Oldham’s remonstrations and Mammood was deemed to have scored. Allen missed with his conversion attempt.

Oldham restarted and a brawl broke out. Rochdale's Bradley Fox was yellow carded and Harvey Mann had to leave the field injured.

Rochdale now with only 12 players on the pitch had to dig in. Captain Will Moore rallied his troops and maintained the ferocious defensive tackling performance.

With five minutes left, Fox returned to the field following his sin bin and, despite Oldham trying to antagonise, Fox kept his head and drove to the line, from where his opposite flanker Brown scored under the posts. Allen converted.

Full time: Oldham U15s 5 - 38 Rochdale RUFC U15s

Rochdale now face a semi-final home game against Liverpool Collegiate on the 15 March.