THE 22-20 scorelines may have been the same but the contrast in fortunes could not have been any different.

For while Blackburn suffered the agony of defeat at Billingham it was ecstasy for Rossendale who left it late to snatch victory against

There were positives to take out of both performances; promoted Burn coming so close to pulling off a big win at the league leaders while Dale, troubled for much of the season, made it back-to-back wins thanks to their last-gasp heroics against promotion-chasing Macclesfield.

Now the two old East Lancashire rivals go head-to-head on Saturday at Ramsgreave Drive with both teams looking to end the year on the high.

Blackburn coach Dino Radice said Dale will be buoyed by their dramatic victory - sealed thanks to an interception try from Damon Hall and conversion from Lewis Allen - but he is looking forward to welcoming their local rivals.

“They will be up for it, that is for sure,” said Radice. “That was a very good win for them but we are looking forward to it.

“I can’t remember the last time we met in a league game, probably about 10 years ago. This is the last match of the year so we’ll both be looking to end on a high.”

On Saturday, Blackburn led 20-10 going in to the closing stages while over at Marl Pits, Dale trailed 20-6 early in the second half before both matches turned on their heads.

Burn had led thanks to tries from Jack Edwards and Corey Logan while Ockert Erasmus kicked two penalties and two conversions.

However, they we unable to see the game out and Radice says it is something his side will have to learn from.

“The Billingham coaches said afterwards it was a match we should have won and that is not the first time that has happened this season,” said Radice. “We were leading and deservedly so but our game management wasn’t the greatest in the latter stages and we made a few wrong decisions which were costly.”

He added: “I wasn’t too sure how to feel after the game to be honest. I don’t know this league well enough to know how close we came to a big win. All I know is that I was proud of the lads as, for the majority of the game, they played well. They were down after the match but they will be back up for it against Rossendale.”

At Marl Pits, Dale trailed 13-6 at the break - Allen slotting over two penalties for the home side - before Macclesfield opened up a 20-6 lead early in the second half.

But Dale refused to buckle and three Allen kicks got them to within a score before Hall intercepted a Billingham pass for a try under the posts with Allen, fittingly, kicking the winning conversion.

While Radice is looking forward to the clash, he hopes it is not just a reunion.

“The problem with these games is that a lot of the players know each other and they can sometimes treat it as a reunion,” he said.

“In my eyes, it is a derby and let’s treat it like one.”