ROCHDALE HORNETS 20 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 16
SIMON JONES, Crown Oil Arena, Sunday
TITLE-CHASING North Wales are stalling at a key stage of the season as they suffered a second defeat running.
Rochdale were trying to build on wins over Newcastle, Goole and Whitehaven, and did it with the help of two more tries from Luke Forber.
Crusaders, coached by former Hornets player and team chief Carl Forster, were aiming to bounce back after their 24-12 home defeat by Swinton.
That was only a second loss in 14 league games for the Colwyn Bay side this season, and the coach said: “We’ve had some honest conversations and dusted ourselves off.”
A subplot of the match was the meeting of winger Forber and North Wales second rower Sam Wilde, with the pair going into it as the division’s joint-top try-scorers with 17 apiece in the league.
With Gregg McNally back but the equally-experienced Martyn Ridyard out, Rochdale had Max Flanagan at halfback rather than fullback, and started brightly, being held up twice as they put pressure on the visitors.
And they found a way through ten minutes in, when Dan Nixon intercepted a kick over the top and ran forwards, with the ball eventually finding its way to Forber’s centre Tom Ashton, who went over, with Flanagan tagging on the tricky kick.
McNally tested North Wales with a teasing kick, but they dealt well with it and went on the offensive.
However, Rochdale not only resisted, but came up with a second try after 25 minutes when, after a goal-line drop-out was forced, further attacking finished with Forber strolling in, although Flanagan dragged his conversion attempt wide.
On the back of a penalty, North Wales conjured a response on the half-hour through Wilde, who powered across from close range, but Jordy Gibson couldn’t add the goal.
Flanagan hit a post with a penalty-goal attempt, then after a let-off when North Wales put a pass aimed for Jake Spedding into touch, his side forced a fourth drop-out of the first half, although North Wales held firm.
Forber’s smart footwork paved the way to his second try – and 19th in the league this year – just two minutes into the second half, although his effort went unconverted.
Then just before the hour, on-loan Wigan prop Dylan Kelly-Duffy put another dent in North Wales’ hopes by powering his way in after his side kept the ball alive on the last tackle, with Flanagan’s second conversion of the match making it 20-4.
But North Wales kept plugging away, and they kept the game alive on 63 minutes, when Spedding scored wide out and this time, Gibson was good from the tee to cut the gap to ten points.
Forster’s side grabbed a third try through Josh Eaves which was improved by Gibson, but with only a couple of minutes remaining, Rochdale held out.
GAMESTAR: Rochdale winger Luke Forber continued his try-scoring exploits.
GAMEBREAKER: Dylan Kelly-Duffy’s 58th-minutes try was important.
MATCHFACTS
HORNETS
1 Gregg McNally
2 Dan Nixon
22 Jack Darbyshire
20 Tom Ashton
5 Luke Forber
14 Max Flanagan
7 Lewis Else
17 Ben Killan
36 Ross Whitmore
32 Luke Nelmes
18 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
33 Darcy Simpson
13 Emerson Whittel
Subs (all used)
23 Morgan Punchard
30 Isaac Reid
16 Jordan Andrade
9 Charlie McKler
Tries: Ashton (10), Forber (25, 42), Kelly-Duffy (58)
Goals: Flanagan 2/5
Sin bin: McKler (44) – high tackle
CRUSADERS
1 Lloyd Roby
21 Jake Spedding
4 Matt Reid
3 Kieran Taylor
2 Jack Holmes
7 Jordy Gibson
6 Toby Hughes
8 Jack Houghton
19 Josh Eaves
10 Chris Barratt
11 Sam Wilde
12 Cole Oakley
13 Olly Davies
Subs (all used)
14 Joe Baldwin
32 Anthony Walker
23 Paddy Jones
15 Shaun Costello
Tries: Wilde (30), Spedding (63), Eaves (78)
Goals: Gibson 2/3
Sin bin: Barratt (71) – trip
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 10-4; 14-4, 20-4, 20-10, 20-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Luke Forber; Crusaders: Jordy Gibson
Penalty count: 7-7
Half-time: 10-4
Referee: Kevin Moore