ROCHDALE HORNETS 24 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 10
CHARLIE BOYER, Crown Oil Arena, Sunday

ROCHDALE had to respond to being behind at the break to ensure their 100 percent start to the Championship season remained intact.

The game’s first incident came after just three minutes, a 40/20 kick from Hornets halfback Jamie Dallimore testing the visitors.

Then their fullback Max Flanagan suffered a blow to the head and was forced to leave the field for an assessment.

Keighley went close twice in the space of a few minutes, but strong goal-line defence from Rochdale thwarted both attempts.

Dallimore was looking lively once more just before the half-hour mark, and a kick into space caused the Cougars all kinds of issues as the home side forced a goal-line drop-out.

As the heavens began to open, the game started to become tricky in conditions not best suited to expansive play.

It looked like the teams would be heading to the break scoreless but on the stroke of half-time, a fortuitous bounce of the ball off a Keighley head fell to George Hill, who slid over wide out, although Matty Beharrell couldn’t convert.

Gary Thornton’s Rochdale wasted no time at the start of the second half and they were soon level thanks to Lewis Hatton’s barnstorming run, Dallimore adding the extras for a 6-4 lead.

Soon after, it was 12-4 as powerful centre Tom Ashton muscled his way over wide out, with Dallimore again accurate from the tee.

Rochdale were in the mood for more points and were in for a third try after 53 minutes, Kieran Taylor catching a quick kick to add his name to the scoresheet as his side started to take control of the contest (Dallimore landed his third goal).

Ex-Leigh back Boyd touched down twelve minutes from time, diving home for fellow close-season signing (from North Wales) Dallimore to again improve and maintain his 100 percent kicking record for the game.

Ian Hardman’s Keighley didn’t go down without a fight however, as eight minutes from time, former Leeds winger Dylan Proud found his way over with Beharrell tagging on the extras.

Experienced Dallimore’s kicking game again looked threatening but some dangerous efforts were dealt with by the Keighley defence.

This proved to be the last meaningful action of the afternoon as Rochdale claimed the two points with a mix of defensive efficiency and potent attacking play.

GAMESTAR: Rochdale’s wily halfback Jamie Dallimore controlled the game with his clever kicking, both from hand and the tee.

GAMEBREAKER: Lewis Hatton’s try early in the second half swung the momentum in favour of Hornets.

MATCHFACTS

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
22 TJ Boyd
3 Tom Ashton
4 Junior Sa’u
2 Dan Nixon
6 Jamie Dallimore
25 Jack Hansen
8 Jaden Dayes
9 Ross Whitmore
17 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
12 Ethan Wood
28 Kieran Taylor
13 Jordan Syme
Subs (all used)
10 Lewis Hatton
19 Luke Waterworth
29 Jonny Vaughan
35 Isaac Reid

Tries: Hatton (41), Ashton (46), Taylor (53), Boyd (68)
Goals: Dallimore 4/4

COUGARS
1 Connor Sayner
20 Oliver Whitford
5 Dylan Proud
4 Max Clarke
2 Brad Holroyd
6 Izaac Farrell
7 Matty Beharrell
17 Jordan Schofield
14 George Flanagan
11 Lucas Green
27 George Hill
21 Alfie Dean
13 Aaron Brown
Subs (all used)
19 Oli Burton
12 Lachlan Lanskey
26 Nathan Rushworth
28 Alfie Salmon

Tries: Hill (38), Proud (72)
Goals: Beharrell 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4; 6-4, 12-4, 18-4, 24-4, 24-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Jamie Dallimore; Cougars: Oliver Whitford

Penalty count: 5-6
Half-time: 0-4
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 844