ROCHDALE HORNETS 10 MIDLANDS HURRICANES 22
IAN RIGG, Crown Oil Arena, Saturday
MIDLANDS underlined their League One title credentials with an impressive victory at Rochdale.
The Hurricanes returned, at least temporarily, to the top of the table after continuing a start to the season which has seen them lose only one of their first seven.
The first chance fell to Rochdale when the ball was flowing right but Tom Ashton knocked-on – from this error Midlands gained a six-again in the next set and Elliott Morris scored by the posts with Jake Sweeting converting.
Two more chances followed for the Hurricanes but on both occasions the home defence held Matty Chrimes out.
The Hornets hit back on 16 minutes when a dropped ball put them on the attack and Max Flanagan sent out a nice pass for Lewis Else to score on the left, where Flanagan missed the conversion.
Midlands should have extended their lead when Todd Horner collected a high ball and passed to Matty Hanley, but he was grounded just short of the line.
While the Hurricanes were looking good with the ball, they were losing it too much despite the dry conditions.
However, they went further ahead when Sweeting converted a penalty for a tip tackle by Oli Burton 30 metres out.
Sweeting left the field eight minutes from the break for a head-injury assessment, and this seemed to disrupt the attack before the break.
There was a chance for Rochdale four minutes from half-time, but Deane Meadows lost the ball trying to score under the posts.
Hornets took the lead three minutes into the second half when Gregg McNally poked a short kick under the posts and, as it rolled towards the dead-ball line, Else was quickest to react and touch down.
Flanagan added the conversion from in front to nudge his side 10-8 ahead, just as Sweeting re-entered the field after passing his HIA.
Midlands came back again on 50 minutes when Mikey Wood fed the ball to Zeus Silk and he scored left of the posts with Sweeting converting.
More pressure on the Hornets line forced a goal-line drop-out before Luis Roberts went for the corner and was sent into touch.
Hurricanes went ten points in front on 66 minutes when Sully Medforth sent a high kick to the right wing and Roberts climbed higher than Luke Forber to collect and score in the corner, with Sweeting adding the conversion off the touchline.
Myles Harrop had a break up the left as Rochdale looked for a way back as time ran down, but he was tackled into touch.
So when Rochdale captain Duane Straughier was sent to the sin bin four minutes from time for a high tackle, Sweeting’s penalty-goal from 30 metres made just about sure of victory.
GAMESTAR: Danny Barcoe came off the bench to spark his side to victory with some important plays.
GAMEBREAKER: Luis Roberts’ score with 14 minutes left gave Midlands the edge.
MATCHFACTS
HORNETS
1 Gregg McNally
2 Dan Nixon
20 Tom Ashton
4 Myles Harrop
5 Luke Forber
7 Lewis Else
14 Max Flanagan
17 Ben Killan
29 Dec O’Donnell
10 Luke Nelmes
12 Duane Staugheir
25 Jaden Dayes
13 Emmerson Whittel
Subs (all used)
9 Oli Burton
11 Deane Meadows
32 Jordan Andrade
31 Dom Newton
Tries: Else (16, 43)
Goals: Flanagan 1/2
Sin bin: Straughier (76) – high tackle
HURRICANES
1 Todd Horner
2 Matty Chrimes
4 Ross Oakes
24 Matty Hanley
25 Luis Roberts
6 Jake Sweeting
21 Sully Medforth
8 Jon-Luke Kirby
14 Aiden Roden
20 Elliott Morris
16 Ellis Hobson
15 Aaron Willis
13 Mikey Wood
Subs (all used)
9 Danny Barcoe
19 Marcus Green
18 Zeus Silk
12 Josh Jordan-Roberts
Tries: Morris (8), Silk (50), Roberts (66)
Goals: Sweeting 5/5
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 4-8; 10-8, 10-14, 10-20, 10-22
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Lewis Else; Hurricanes: Danny Barcoe
Penalty count: 5-6
Half-time: 4-8
Referee: Luke Bland
Attendance: 772