ROCHDALE HORNETS 64 CORNWALL 12
IAN RIGG, Mayfield Sports Centre, Saturday
TOM ASHTON scored four tries in 16 minutes against his former club as Rochdale progressed to the next round of the 1895 Cup and a home tie against Swinton.
The centre spent the past three years with Cornwall, never scoring more than three tries in a season, but made hay on his second debut for the Hornets.
There were also hat-tricks for fellow outside backs Max Flanagan and Lameck Juma as Rochdale ran in a dozen tries – eight converted by Flanagan – against their outplayed visitors.
Indeed, the game was as good as over after three Hornets tries in the first 14 minutes.
The home side went ahead on three minutes when a good pass from Lewis Hollidge found Flanagan on the left.
Juma increased the lead five minutes later when he finished off a good passing move, and the one-way traffic continued when Deane Meadows followed a kick near the line to score on the left.
Juma lost the ball trying to twist over for a second try, but took another chance moments later anyway as Ashton fed him in.
Hollidge then produced some magic with the ball to provide Flanagan’s second try.
Cornwall had their best scoring chance of the first half on 28 minutes when Elijah Simpson was held up.
At the other end, Gregg McNallly was held up and Harry Aaronson stopped after a 60-metre break before Ashton scored his first try via good passing on the stroke of half-time.
That started quite the purple patch for Ashton, who also scored the next three tries on the resumption as Rochdale extended their 32-0 half-time lead.
Cornwall lost the ball in the second tackle of the half to put Hornets back on the attack, and Ashton punished his former side with two tries bringing up the hat-trick before more good build-up play resulted in the fourth after 53 minutes.
The Choughs enjoyed their best spell at 46-0 down, scoring two tries which were both converted by Adam Rusling.
First Aaronson intercepted off his own line to score under the posts, then Callum Abbott followed a kick to score in the left corner.
But Rochdale finished strongly with three further tries in the closing stages, starting with a long pass for Juma’s third.
Flanagan earned his own hat-trick try when some great ball skills were on show down the right and Meadows found a nice pass to send the centre over.
McNally then finished the scoring in the final minute when Flanagan broke clear to feed him and he went under the sticks.
GAMESTAR: Lewis Hollidge was the provider of the last pass for many Rochdale tries.
GAMEBREAKER: Three Hornets tries in the opening 14 minutes put them out of sight early.
MATCHFACTS
HORNETS
1 Greg McNally
3 Lameck Juma
14 Max Flanagan
20 Tom Ashton
2 Dan Nixon
22 Lewis Hollidge
7 Lewis Else
27 Toby Brannan
29 Dec O’Donnell
10 Luke Nelmes
11 Deane Meadows
12 Duane Straugheir
13 Emmerson Wittel
Subs (all used)
9 Oli Burton
19 Jayden Dayes
18 Zac Baker
26 Joe Taira
Tries: Flanagan (3,25,77), Juma (8,20,69), Meadows (14), Ashton (37,43,48,53), McNally (79)
Goals: Flanagan 8/12
CORNWALL
6 Brad Llewellyn
2 Henry Symons
16 Decarlo Trerise
5 Harry Aaronson
23 Callum Abbott
28 Nathan Conroy
24 Adam Rusling
18 Josh Rhodes
22 Jake Lloyd
10 Harry Boots
13 David Weetman
12 Darcy Simpson
19 Jamie Jenkins
Subs (all used)
9 Dylan Leney
30 Jo McConnell
20 Elijah Simpson
27 Mackenzie Cumming
Tries: Aaronson (59), Abbott (62)
Goals: Rusling 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0, 28-0, 32-0; 36-0, 40-0, 46-0, 46-6, 46-12, 52-12, 58-12, 64-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Lewis Hollidge; Cornwall: Adam Rusling
Penalty count: 13-1
Half-time: 32-0
Referee: Luke Bland