After victory at Bradford Salem in round 1 of the Regional 2 Championship Middlesbrough travelled over to Rochdale for the 1st leg of round 2, with back rower Alistair Lang captaining Boro for the first time.
The away side make a bright start and following a turn over from Martin Quinn, Rob Carney scores the opener 0-5. A good clearance, nudged up the line, followed by a counter ruck, has Boro playing in the oppositions half, a knock on results in Rochdale kicking the ball clear. A Rochdale line out sees them move the ball quickly, and a tap and go from a penalty sees them score 7-5. Rochdale then repeat this quick tap and score again 14-5.
Good running from Boro full back Matthew Marsay puts us back in the red zone. A lineout is taken but Rochdale defend well and take the ball. From the resulting Rochdale scrum, quick as a flash, scrum half Chris McRobert snipes from his opposite number and feeds the ball to skipper Lang to score 14-10. Prop Jack Cook is forced from the field due to injury and is replaced by the vastly experienced Matthew Helm. Boro win a penalty which points machine Brendan Hill duly slots 14-13.
From the restart Rochdale regain possession and move up the field to score 21-13. Prop Quinn is at it again taking the ball on and winning a penalty near half way. Shay Barritt kicks into the Rochdale 22m zone, Boro gather the ball but knock on and the home side clear.
HT 21-13
Second half and Boro are off to a solid start. A penalty gives them the ball in the Rochdale half, but an infringement allows the hosts to take the ball up the field to score 28-13.
Do Boro heads to go down? NOT this team and right back they come. A driving maul sees Ali Land score his second 28-20.
Rochdale are now camped in the Boro red zone and eventually score again 35-20.
A mistake from the kick off leads to a lineout for Boro who win the ball and feed Hill to crash over for a try 35-25. The away side have their tails up now and are battering the Rochdale line. Player coach Ollie Hodgson is held up over the line. The pressure telling and with 3 minutes to go and Boro win a penalty. Clearly thinking about the home leg next week, they slot a penalty making the final score Rochdale 35 Boro 28.
The second leg at Acklam Park next Saturday at 3pm promises to be a great competition.
The other results in the QF First Leg were…
