Rossendale 40

Cleckheaton 15

ROSSENDALE moved up to fifth place in National Three North after an impressive 40-15 win at home to relegation strugglers Cleckheaton.

Although the visitors took an early lead with a penalty from Ronan Evans, the home side were in control throughout.

A penalty into touch followed by a catch and drive and good hands across the line got James Bramhall in for Dale’s opening try of the afternoon.

Steve Nutt added the conversion and it was Nutt who went over for the second, backing up a break made by Ryan McKibbin to score under the posts leaving the full back with the easiest of conversions.

Good forward play and a dash down the wing by Sam Atiola, followed by an inside pass to the supporting Jack Ward, brought up the third try – Nutt again on hand with the conversion.

It was left to George Peel to cross for the bonus score, with provider Atiola heavily involved. The visitors came in to it with a try from James Seargent, converted by Evans, but it was Rossendale who closed the half with a second try from Bramhall.

Following some enterprising play by the pack, Bramhall was given time and space to slide in under the posts. Nutt’s conversion made it a commanding 33-10 lead at the interval.

Inevitably, the pace slowed in the second half and although Michael Piper went in for a try for a Cleckheaton try, Alex Hurst rounded off a good afternoon’s work for the home side, hacking on after Rossendale had turned over a ‘Cleck’ scrum before winning the chase to the line,

Nutt was successful with the conversion to bring up a personal haul of 15 points.