ROCHDALE HORNETS are aiming to roll back the years by making a first final since 2016 and a first in a cup competition since 1991.
Gary Thornton’s side are through to the last four of the 1895 Cup and preparing for a trip to Widnes on Sunday, with the other semi, between Midlands and London Broncos in Birmingham, the day before.
It’s a relatively rare moment in the spotlight for the Crown Oil Arena club, where experienced Thornton has been at the helm since August 2022 and watched his men beat Goole 24-6 in their home 1895 quarter-final.
Alan Kilshaw, now the coach of neighbours Oldham, was the man at the helm in 2016 when Rochdale registered a shock 24-22 win over Toulouse in France in the League One promotion final.
Jack Holmes, Lewis Galbraith, Chris Riley and Dave Cookson scored tries while Paul Crook kicked four goals for Hornets, who had finished second to Olympique, and eight points adrift of them, in the league.
Rochdale were also third-tier play-off final winners in 2013, when Ian Talbot’s team defeated Oldham 32-18 at Leigh Sports Village, with Crook notching six goals.
That provided Hornets with a first trophy of any kind since the 1922 Challenge Cup final, when Hull FC were defeated 10-9 at Headingley.
Warrington’s former Wilderspool ground was the scene of the 1991 Lancashire Cup final, in which Rochdale, a second-tier side coached by Stan Gittins, went down 24-14 to St Helens, having beaten Highfield, top-flight Salford and Carlisle earlier in the competition.
The team were skippered by fullback Colin Whitfield while prop Bob Marsden took the man-of-the-match award after a bright display which included setting up tries for Darren Abram and Mike Kuiti.