Sale 25 Rossendale 17

JAMIE Albinson was a Saint but brother Tom was sinner as Rossendale slumped to defeat at second placed Sale in National League Three North.

Jamie scored a try that put Dale in to the lead in the first half but Tom one of two players sin-binned in the second half as they let victory slip through their grasp.

Up until that stage, it was a game that could have gone either way but losing both Tom Albinson and Phil Watt to the sin bin in quick succession going into the final quarter proved costly.

Rossendale had been leading 12-10 early after the interval but when the two Dale players departed, it proved to be too much of a handicap as the home side made them pay - scoring unanswered 15 points to make it 12 wins out of 13 and remain hot on the heels of leaders Sandal, Sale opened the scoring with a penalty from Liam McGovern but from a catch and drive and a series of powerful drives by the Rossendale pack, Jamie Albinson, with a neat show and go, nipped over to give his side the lead.

Steve Nutt slotted the conversion but Sale came back with a try from Joe Kelly converted by McGovern for 10-7 at the interval.

With Sale mounting an attack early in the second half a timely interception fromNutt restored the Rossendale lead but then came the few minutes that turned the game in the home team’s favour.

First Tom Albinson and the Phil Watt were consigned to the sin bin in quick succession and down to 13, Sale made them pay.

McGovern with a penalty and a converted try put Sale ahead with Adam Aigbokhae sealing the home win with his side’s third.

Defeat was another blow to Rossendale’s slim chances of promotion as they find themselves in sixth place, 19 points behind leaders Sandal.

Rossendale have lost just twice in their last 10 outings but crucially, the two defeats have come in their last three fixtures.

The Marl Pits side had won six games on the bounce, beating Beverley, Billingham, Sheffield Tigers, Burnage, Lymm, Morley and Hudderfield YMCA.

The run came to an abrupt end when a depleted Dale were well beating a lowly Westoe side who have won just three times all season.

They bounced back with an impressive 24-16 win over third placed Firwood Waterloo last week before the Sale defeat. Dale return to action on January 3 when they host leaders Sandal.