ROCHDALE HORNETS 6 NEWCASTLE THUNDER 54
IAN RIGG, Crown Oil Arena, Saturday

NEWCASTLE THUNDER kept up the pressure at the top end of the table, moving up into second place and leapfrogging Oldham with a ten-try demolition of Hornets on a wet afternoon that gives them a superior points difference to the Roughyeds, who are on an equal number of points.

Tom Ashton put the home side ahead in the fourth minute when he crashed over on the right following two penalties that put them in good position, and Max Flanagan added the conversion.

But that was as good as it got for Rochdale.

Thunder hit back when Nikau Williams and Sam Cook (pictured above, while on his recent loan at York) combined to send Jack Smith in at the corner, but Myles Harrison missed the conversion.

They took the lead five minutes later when the same combination sent Harvey Reynolds over by the posts and Harrison converted this time.

Thunder were exerting a lot of pressure on the Hornets line with their ruck speed, but the home defence scrambled well to stop them.

Ashton had the chance to score a second try on 26 minutes but he could not hold the pass in a good position. Cook then had a try cancelled out for a knock-on over the line before Ross Whitmore went close for Hornets.

Jude Ferreira scored Thunder’s third try four minutes from the break after an intercept from Smith put them in a great position. Harrison was unable to convert, but they added a fourth try in the final seconds of the half when fast hands saw Brad Ward cross and Harrison again converted.

It was all Thunder in the second half as they scored 34 more unanswered points.

It began when Tom Inman darted over from short range six minutes in for a converted try.

Jordan Lipp scored the next after a short kick by Ward, and Harrison converted.

Ferreira added his second try five minutes later from a Williams kick and this too was converted.

Ward then scored his second soon afterwards from a Taylor Pemberton kick, but Harrison missed the conversion.

Cook went over under the posts on the hour when he dummied his way through to touch down by the posts and again it was converted.

Hornets were well beaten by this stage, but Dan Nixon was still able to make a break down the wing for them with eight minutes left, but the ball came loose.

The final Thunder try came with three minutes left when Harrison chased a kick to cross on the right and he converted his own try to take his team past the half-century.

The game finished with some fighting as the hooter sounded with most of the players involved.

When the referee finally broke the teams apart, Thunder substitute Mitch Clark was shown a yellow card and Hornets were awarded a penalty and after the next play the game was over.

GAMESTAR: Sam Cook provided the platform for most of Thunder’s tries.

GAMEBREAKER: Two Thunder tries in the late stages of the first half put them in control.

MATCHFACTS

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
2 Dan Nixon
3 Tom Ashton
4 Junior Sa’u
22 TJ Boyd
20 Joe Hickey
25 Jack Hanson
8 Jaden Dayes
14 George Roby
23 Chris Barratt
12 Ethan Wood
9 Ross Whitmore
27 Charlie McKler
Subs (all used)
10 Lewis Hatton
18 Jordan Andrade
19 Luke Waterworth
24 Ben Metcalfe

Tries: Ashton (4)
Goals: Flanagan 1/1

THUNDER
27 Jordan Lipp
25 Jack Smith
4 Jude Ferreira
1 Myles Harrison
5 Brad Ward
31 Nikau Williams
9 Taylor Pemberton
8 Bailey Antrobus
30 Tom Inman
15 Brenden Santi
11 Harvey Reynolds
22 John Segaga
13 Sam Cook
Subs (all used)
2 Andy Djeukessi
10 Ryan Jackson
12 Noah Whittingham
20 Mitch Clark

Tries: Smith (11), Reynolds (16), Ferreira (36, 54), Ward (39, 57), Inman (46), Lipp (49), Cook (60), Harrison (77)
Goals: Harrison 7/10
Sin bin: Clark (80) – dangerous tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 6-10, 6-14, 6-20; 6-26, 6-32, 6-38, 6-42, 6-48, 6-54

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Ross Whitmore; Thunder: Sam Cook

Penalty count: 10-7
Half-time: 6-20
Referee: Denton Arnold