Many games of rugby have seen contrasting performances in either half but very few would rival this for the sheer enormity of the disparity between the two forty minute periods. Our first half display was lacklustre and off-the-pace from the kick off and nobody at Brinkburn was talking of comebacks during the halftime interval.
In contrast to our performance Rochdale had looked a very useful side who carried the ball with purpose and defended with intensity as they built a 19-0 lead. They were certainly deserving of that advantage and in fairness we had done well to only trail by 19 points as almost every Rochdale attack looked like threatening the line.
Tries from full-back Jamie Johnson and Ross Hartley were both created by the quick feet of scrum half Rob Neave as our defensive line was breached at will. When we did get possession of the ball our runners were met by a ferocious defence and handling errors were a regular feature. Things weren’t much better at the set pieces and a creaking scrum set up a third try inside half an hour after another break from Neave. James Duffy made two of the three conversions and also had two penalty attempts slide wide of the uprights.
It all seemed to change after the break and whatever was said inside the huddle clearly had the desired impact as right from the whistle we looked hungrier in defence with Peter Youll and Dan Boatman prominent in forcing Rochdale back into their 22. A long pass was intercepted by Stu Waites and a couple of phases later Andrew Foreman shrugged off a tackle and darted over under the posts, Waites converting.
The score was the lifeline we needed and while a comeback still appeared unlikely it gave us confidence and as our fortunes improved, Rochdale began to implode. Now playing into the light but constant breeze they couldn’t seem to get any length on their clearance kicks to relieve pressure and both scrum and lineout started to struggle.
Youll got our second try [above], cutting a good straight line and rounding the full-back well, on 65 minutes and Waites’ simple conversion from in-front of the posts cut lead to a single score. Three minutes later the scores were level as a long kick downfield wasn’t dealt with by the Rochdale full-back and Adam Coates pounced on a loose ball to score in the corner.
The one-way traffic continued as we marched back upfield and won a penalty for hands in the ruck which Waites slotted to give us the lead with 8 minutes to play. The visitors threatened with a couple of counter attacks from deep but the game ended with Coates coming close to adding his second try, stopped inches short of the line, before the ball was knocked-on.
West: Thomas (Bailey), Butcher, Foreman, Youll, Mallinson, Waites, Painter, Angus (Pinchen), Rollins, Coates, Hogan, Bennett, Barker, Boatman, Atkins.
Tries: Foreman, Youll, Coates
Cons: Waites 2
Pen: Waites
Rochdale: Johnson, Henry, Schofield, Flitcroft, Duffin, Duffy, Neave, Hill, Bradley, Slalom, Birtwistle, Helliwell, Donoghue, Hartley, Bradwell.
Reps: Ward, Needham, Hindle
Tries: Johnson, Hartley, Schofield
Cons: Duffy 2
Referee: Carl Hall [Durham Society]