ROCHDALE HORNETS coach Gary Thornton has urged fans to come out and support his team in their crunch home clash with Midlands Hurricanes on Saturday.
Hornets made it three wins in a row by seeing off Goole 50-6 to move back within a point of the Birmingham side, having lost two points when Cornwall’s record was officially expunged from the table by the RFL.
Thornton said: “It’s a huge game. When we looked at the fixtures, with the money they’ve spent, we know it was going to be a big challenge. They are riding high, but I don’t think they’ll be looking forward to coming here. They’ll get a tough game.
“It should be an entertaining encounter and it would be good for the fans to come down and cheer us on, and hopefully we can make it four from four.”
Thornton was buoyed by a solid display against Goole, where they limited their opponents to a solitary try for the second time in three games.
He was also able to name an unchanged 17, and says that the continuity is helping build team spirit.
He added: “We’ve invested a lot of effort in our defensive structures and our determination to defend our own try line has been first class all season.
“We picked the same 17, which is always nice, and unusual in our sport. It creates continuity and team spirit. Guys know if they come in and do a good job that they’ll play again the week after and that’s how it needs to be.
“We’ve got players coming back from injury trying to get back in to the team and it’s tough for those guys because we are playing so well, and it’s difficult to make changes.
“But the guys who are playing in the 17 are there on merit and the team spirit and bonding is building from that.”
