Rossendale 24 West Hartlepool 20 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rossendale 24 West Hartlepool 20

12:32pm Tuesday 24th January 2012 in Rugby By Steve Tinniswood, Sports reporter

ROSSENDALE survived a second half fightback to keep their promotion charge right on course.

The match was switched to Sale Shark’s training ground and it appeared it would be plain sailing for Dale as they ran in three converted tries – Paddy Pole, Leyton Taylor and Roger Dennison all touching down with Steve Nutt adding the extras.

Hartlepool ran in a try from fully 80m from a quick tap and go which was converted to make it 21-7 at the break.

The second half began well for Dale with Nutt slotting over a penalty to make it 24-7.

But Dale, playing in to the wind, were on the back foot for most of the half – not helped by Danny Collins’s sin-binning.

Hartlepool replied with two unconverted tries and a penalty but Dale’s fine defensive display late on denied the visitors the win.