WIRRAL 41

ROSSENDALE 31

Rugby can throw up some bizarre matches none more so than last Saturday when Rossendale 38-3 down with under 15 minutes of normal time remaining came back to take a try bonus and almost snatch a losing bonus point save for a late penalty from the home side.

The catalyst for change was the introduction of Lewis Allen off the bench on the hour after which the visitors ran in four converted tries.

Wirral took the early lead with a try from Dan Harvey converted by James Annetts. Rossendale hit back with a penalty from Tom Leader.

However a try for Wirral by Joe Murray converted by Harvey plus a penalty from Ben Brooks afforded the opposition a 17-3 lead at the interval.

In the second half a penalty try plus further tries from Brooks and Chris Speed both converted by Harvey put Wirral well ahead at 38-3.

With Allen on and beginning to 'pull the strings' Rossendale began to come back into the game. Forward pressure in the Wirral '22' created the opportunity for Dominic Moon to break free for the first.

Great work by the pack and with Allen taking the inside line Jack Wilkinson was on hand to go under the posts.

A cross field kick from Allen was scooped up on he bounce by George Peel who took his man on for the third again under the posts and from a scrum on half way Harrison Moulding broke clear to outpace the defence to take the try bonus point and at this stage within the losing bonus point limit before Harvey knocked over the final penalty for Wirral.